Polenta e Fasoi, polenta and beans, could work nicely as an antipasto, and will also go quite well with a roast or a stew, especially in winter. The recipe is from Lombardia, and will serve 6 as a side dish:
Prep Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours,
Ingredients:
- Polenta, made with a pound (450 g) of corn meal
- 3/4 pound (335 g) dried borlotti beans (substitute with kidney or black beans if need be)
- 2 ounces cured lard, ground (buy this at a delicatessen; it should be salted and seasoned with herbs, but not smoked)
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 3 leaves basil, minced
- 3/4 pound (335 g) tomato pulp, blended (you'll want a pound of plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped,
- or use canned tomatoes)
- Flour
- Olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Soak the beans overnight. The next day, boil them in water to cover, salting them to taste. In the meantime, combine the minced herbs and the lard, and sauté the mixture in a few drops of olive oil until the onion has browned lightly. Stir in the tomato and simmer over a very low flame. As soon as the beans are cooked, drain them and stir them into the tomato sauce. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.When it has cooled make the polenta. Stir the bean mixture into the polenta, spread it out, and let it cool. Cut the polenta and bean mixture into cubes, fry them until golden in hot oil, drain them on absorbent paper, and serve. The wine? White, and I mught go with a Valcalepio from the hills behind Bergamo.
