Pinto beans and spelt soup
Laura’s recipe
Servings: 2
Preparation: 10 min.
Cooking: 75 min.
Difficulty: 
Ingredients

700 g (1.5 lbs) fresh Pinto beans

(400g/0.9 lbs shelled beans)

120g (4.2 ounces) spelt

3 garlic cloves

Rosemary, sage, bay

A pinch of ground chili (optional)

Salt

Extra virgin olive oil

1.5 l (51 US fl oz / 53 UK fl oz) Water

Method

1
2

1 - Shell the beans and rinse them, eliminating the shells.

2 - Put them in a pot (preferably a clay pot) with 1 garlic clove, whole and peeled, bay leaf, a few rosemary sprigs and sage leaves.

3
4

3 - Pour water and set the pot with lid to boil over high heat with half tablespoon of coarse sea salt. When water boils, lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, until beans are tender.

4 - Turn off the heat, strain the beans keeping cooking water aside and eliminating herbs.

5
6

5 - Blend 3/4 of the beans with a couple of ladles of cooking water.

6 - Chop a tablespoon of rosemary needles and 2 garlic cloves taking care to remove the inner heart of garlic.

7
8

7 - Put the chopped mix in a clay pot with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and a pinch of ground chili to taste.

8 - When the oil sizzles, pour in the blended beans, the whole beans

9
10

9 - and the rest of cooking water.

10 - Add spelt when the soup starts boiling and cook about 30/35 minutes over low heat. Before serving adjust with salt if necessary.

Useful Suggestions

This soup will warm your bones and heart in the cold winter nights. We learnt to stock up on fresh shelled beans in freezer, in food bags or even better in recycled plastic containers, so that we can use them in the cold season.

Suggested Wine

We suggest a young, medium-bodied red wine with a low alcoholic content and with a rich bouquet. For example, Valcalepio Rosso, Friuli Grave Merlot or  Chianti classico Colli Senesi.