Greens and Beans
Makes 4 to 6 servings
I grew up eating this humble dish, which we called minestra, even though it wasn’t soup. My mother made it with spinach and kidney beans, drizzled with olive oil and scattered with grated cheese and ground black pepper. Historically Italian moms have relied on a version of this dish to feed large families a balanced, nutrient-dense, yet affordable meal. Start early teaching your kids to love beans just as well as meat. Rehydrated and cooked dried beans are both more economical and more delicious than canned, but the convenience of canned beans is undeniable. Keep both types in your pantry. Use this recipe as a road map to make any combination of greens and beans of your choosing. It’s essential to clean your greens thoroughly to remove all grit before cooking (see Aspetta, page 222).
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces (115 g) tomatoes (1 medium), chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (350 g) cooked or canned beans (from one can), such as chickpeas, kidney beans, or cannellini beans
- 1 large head escarole or Swiss chard (1 pound/455 g), washed and chopped (about 10 cups)
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth, homemade or store-bought, vegetable broth, or water
- Grated Romano cheese for serving
- Sliced crusty bread, toasted, for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and swirl in the olive oil until it glistens. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until sizzling and beginning to turn golden on the edges, no more than 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, if using, and stir until softened and starting to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the salt and beans, stirring to coat the beans completely in the garlicky oil and heat them through.
- Raise the heat to high and add the greens a handful at a time, stirring until they wilt and collapse. Pour in the broth or water and bring to a simmer, partially cover, and cook until the greens are tender and the flavors have melded, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve the beans and greens in bowls, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with cheese, with crusty bread on the side.
PANTRY
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