If you’re a fan of cannellini beans, there’s an heirloom variety you may want to try in your next Tuscan white bean soup, pasta fagioli (Dean Martin style), or as a traditional side with olive oil accompanying bistecca alla Fiorentina. It’s called the Marcella bean, named after the legendary chef and cookbook author, Marcella Hazan (known for her famous pasta sauce). Produced by Rancho Gordo, a Napa-based heirloom-bean purveyor, the Marcella bean is intended to honor the late Hazan’s legacy. Steve Sando, the company’s founder and CEO, and long-time fan of Hazan’s, befriended the esteemed chef after noticing her name on an order. A series of email correspondence followed, with the two bonding over a mutual love of beans, ultimately culminating in this fitting tribute.
Eventually, Sando asked Hazan what bean she most missed from Italy. Her answer: the Sorana, a specific variety of cannellini bean found only near the village of Sorana in Tuscany. Inspired, Sando tracked down the unfamiliar Italian seedstock to plant and harvest in California. Sadly, just as the fruits (er, beans) of his labor were coming to fruition in 2013, Hazan passed away before she got to try them. Because of their Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, Sando was prohibited from calling his crop Soranas, so he asked Marcella’s husband, wine expert and cookbook author Victor Hazan, what he thought of naming them Marcella beans. Hazan replied, “Marcella would get a kick out of your naming the bean after her.”
Read more: The 15 Absolute Best Canned Foods To Stock Your Pantry
Marcella beans — more than just a name
packet of Marcella cannellini beans from Rancho Gordo – Frantoio Grove
Cannellini beans are a type of white bean in the company of great Northern, navy, and butterbeans, with a steadfast reputation as a staple of Italian cooking. Originally cultivated in Argentina, they were transported back to Italy by Italian immigrants for use in homestyle dishes from pastas and soups to salads. Just one of many popular types of beans homecooks should be familiar with, cannellini are highly regarded for their subtlety, nutty notes, and buttery soft texture. As an heirloom variety, Marcella beans are even more delicate and flavorful. Rancho Gordo describes them as having an, “incredibly thin skin and when cooked properly, an indulgent creamy texture.” They’re so tasty, the specialty foods purveyor (the company also deals in grains, spices, and other ingredients) recommends trying them in their simplest presentation, which is, “mashed on some good crusty bread drizzled with your very best extra virgin olive oil and maybe a dusting of freshly cracked pepper.”
Use them instead of any European white bean to elevate your dish. They work brilliantly instead of Great Northern beans in our classic pasta e fagioli recipe with the autumnal twist of added rosemary and sage. Want something that will stick to your ribs? A hearty herby ham and bean soup alla Marcella won’t disaapoint. Or try this vegetarian white bean pot pie. Marcella beans are available for purchase directly from Rancho Gordo’s website, as well as from various other online retailers.
Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we’re helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Dining and Cooking