A rustic Tuscan dish: white beans in tomato sauce combined with spicy salamella and flavored with wild fennel. Tasty, hearty and perfect for those who love the bold flavors of traditional cured meats.
Finely chop the shallot.
Pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil into a saucepan and sauté the chopped shallot together with a whole garlic clove or one cut in half and deprived of its core.
When the shallot has softened, add the spicy salamella, removed from its casing and cut into pieces; let it brown for a few minutes.
Drain and rinse the canned white beans carefully, then add them to the saucepan together with a tablespoon of tomato paste and the tomato passata. Stir and let them season for a few minutes.
Pour a little more than half of the vegetable broth over the beans, add the bay leaves and season with salt.
Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, making sure the sauce does not dry out too much and adding more broth if needed.
At the end of cooking, add wild fennel to taste and serve hot.
Saucepan
Strainer or colander
Wooden spoon
Knife and cutting board
More broth can be added during cooking to obtain a creamier texture. Excellent served with toasted bread crostini.
Italia, Toscana
