Peasant-style Beans

Name: Peasant-style Beans (Fagioli alla Cafona)
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300 g (11 oz) fresh cannellini beans (or use 200 g (7 oz) dried beans, soaked overnight, then drained); 300 g (11 oz) fresh cannellini beans (or use 200 g (7 oz) dried beans, soaked overnight, then drained); Salt; 4 large slices of toasted country bread; 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ½ chilli, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 celery stick, finely chopped; 2 ripe tomatoes, diced

Fagioli alla Cafona

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Antonio Carluccio's Southern Italian Feast

By Antonio Carluccio

Published 1998

About

I have finally found an Italian equivalent to beans on toast, but more interesting. Cafone is a derogatory word for peasant, and I must say if they came up with a recipe like this they must have been gourmet peasants. This dish is typical of the province of Caserta in Campania.

Ingredients

300 g (11 oz) fresh cannellini beans (or use 200 g (7

Europe
Italy
Caserta
Side dish
Vegan
Mediterranean

Method

Put the cannellini beans in a large pan with enough water to cover, then bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour or until just tender. Add the tomatoes, celery, garlic, oregano, chilli and oil and cook for 40 minutes or until the beans are soft. Add salt to taste and serve the soupy mixture on a slice of toasted bread in individual bowls. Drizzle some extra olive oil over, if l