Italian Recipe Collection

main course meat

Polenta and Beans

Ingredients for the Polenta

Ingredients for the Beans

Instructions

  1. Begin by soaking the dried beans in cold water for at least 12 hours, ideally overnight. Afterwards, drain and rinse them thoroughly under fresh running water, then transfer them into a deep pot.
  2. Cover the beans with 1.5 liters of water and add the thoroughly washed bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid, and let simmer over low heat for about 1 hour.
  3. While the beans are cooking, prepare the sauce: finely chop the shallot and sauté it in a non-stick pan with the olive oil. Stir continuously to prevent burning; after about 7–8 minutes, once the shallot is golden, add the San Marzano tomatoes. Season with dried oregano and mix thoroughly.
  4. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once this time has elapsed and the beans are cooked, remove the rosemary sprig and bay leaves from the beans.
  5. Add the tomato sauce to the beans and stir well so the flavors meld together. Let simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.
  6. While the beans finish cooking, prepare the polenta: bring the water to a boil in another deep pot, seasoning with the coarse salt and olive oil. Once boiling, pour in the cornmeal in a steady rain-like stream while whisking vigorously by hand to prevent lumps from forming.
  7. Cook the polenta over low heat for about 50 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to blend smoothly and keep it lump-free.
  8. Once cooked, ladle the polenta into serving dishes (terracotta bowls are traditional), topping each portion with several spoonfuls of the beans (reheat the beans gently first if they have cooled). Serve piping hot, finishing with a freshly ground crack of black pepper if desired!