La Pignata

The slow cooking required by beans and pulses is typified in Apulian cooking in the use of this pot. Glazed inside, jug-shaped, it has two handles on one side with which to approach it to the fire. The name derives from the shape, resembling a pigna or pine-cone. In it are cooked the dried winter staples: haricot beans, black-eyed beans, chickpeas, peas and broad beans.

Two jars are employed: one is half-filled with the selected legume, then filled up with cold cistern water and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda is added; the other jar is to provide boiling water for filling up.