Braised Cannellini Beans from A16

As I mentioned a few posts ago I am happily working my way through Nate Appleman’s A16 cookbook.  I made this as a nice pre dinner appetizer to spread on toasted bread.  But it’s just as nice served along side with a hearty dish like the short ribs braciole recipe I posted a few days ago.  It makes a nice change from potatoes for that particular dish.  Either way the combo of garlic and marjoram is great with the cannellini beans.  The beans loose their shape as they’re braised and almost become the same texture as hand mashed potatoes…I just love this cookbook. 

1 cup dried cannellini beans

1-teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus a little more for finishing

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 small bay leaf

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

1teaspoon-dried marjoram

¼ cup (scant) toasted breadcrumbs

Rinse beans, pick out any broken ones, cover with cold water and let soak overnight.  Drain and transfer to a suitable pot add enough water to cover by 2 inches.  Bring beans to boil and skim any foam from the top.  Lower heat and simmer beans for 2 hours until tender adding more water as necessary.  Cool beans in cooking liquid for 30 minutes.  Drain reserving just under ½ cup of cooking liquid.  Heat olive in another pot and cook garlic, bay leaf, and oregano until the garlic softens.  Stir in beans, reserved cooking liquid and simmer, stirring until the beans become creamy, about 4 minutes.  Stir in marjoram and season with salt if necessary.  You want the beans to hold their shape when spooned on your bread or on a plate.

Drizzle a little more olive oil over the beans to serve and top with breadcrumbs.