Borlotti beans, also known as Roman Beans, or Catarino Beans are a derivative of the Cranberry Bean. Fresh Borlotti Beans, widely used in Italy and countries surrounding the Mediterranean, are less abundant in the United States. Consequently, ethnic markets carry the dried version of the bean as fresh ones are hard to find.
In September of this year, during one of my daily conversations with my Italian neighbor, I became intrigued with this variety. Her brother bought a bushel of beans, in Canada, for CAD $45. She wished that our grocer carried them. She said she never finds these beans in America. Her recollections of childhood, in Italy, and the delicious beans her family made, set me on a mission. I was going to find them and surprise her with as many beans as I could muster.
Research Day 1
The next day, I started researching CSA Farmers in Illinois that deliver to Chicago. I visited every website of every farm listed and only one carried the bean (under the name Cranberry Bean). This particular farmer delivered to Chicago daily as they were vendors at multiple city farmer’s markets. On their site, you were not restricted to a standard CSA allotment. You could order what you want.
Success!
I ordered two pounds of beans (At $5 per pound) as part of a large box of produce. Promptly delivered, at 6:30AM the next morning, I was excited to deliver a bag to my neighbor.
She was thrilled to receive the beans, quickly removing them from their colorful pods and freezing them for later use. I soaked and cooked my pound of beans and after tasting them, I was like a vampire longing for more. They were so delicious, and so texturally satisfying, I set out to find more. Surely I could find a vendor who could sell me a bushel at a reduced price.
Research Day 2
My husband and I were planning a trip to visit my brother, in Wisconsin, so we took advantage of that trip and visited my childhood farmers market in West Allis. The West Allis Farmers Market is the best in the Midwest, in my opinion, and was a weekly source of joy in my family growing up. Coronavirus safety practices in full swing, we venture from aisle to aisle and from farmer to farmer only to find one carrying a small bushel of beans. Inquiring as to whether they had more in the truck, the farmer’s daughter said, “these are rare beans ma’am”, justifying the $4 per pound price tag. I took all they had (3 pounds).
Arriving back in Chicago, that evening, my husband and I shelled the beans before entering the house, and I spread them out on a baking sheet to freeze them. A few small bags of beans for the freezer, and I was nowhere near satisfied.
Research Day 3
When I set my mind on something, it ain’t over until its over. I went back on the website of the farm that delivered the first beans, earlier in the week, to no avail. I was going to find a bushel of beans if my life depended upon it. Having avoided Chicago Farmer’s Markets during the virus, we decided to take the plunge and try our luck. I spent the day researching each vendor of each market. If they had a website, I searched their site for Borlotti Beans, Cranberry Beans, Roman Beans, Catarino Beans, and even went so far as to think that someone might mislabel a bean, not knowing what it was.
Out of all the markets listed, only two had vendors that carried the beans. We would visit the Division Street Market on Saturday morning, and if we didn’t have any luck there, we would hit the Logan Square market as soon as they opened on Sunday.
The Quest
Saturday morning, upon arrival to the market, I bypassed stall after stall heading straight for the vendor I had researched and they had none. My head hanging low, I shuffled back to the car with a few heirloom tomatoes and four ears of corn. On Sunday, while en route to the Logan Square market, I was so obsessed with finding these beans, I started asking my deceased relatives for help. That worked! Again, we headed straight for the farm stand that actually listed Borlotti beans on their website and success was ours. It had been pouring rain all morning which resulted in puddles and mud everywhere. A large, muddy box of water logged beans was set before us. Although some of the joy in purchasing these beans is breaking open the beautiful, colorful pods, we settled on the bushel of muddy beans at price of $35.
The minute we arrived home, we started shelling the beans. We called our neighbor and told her to join us for a surprise and the three of use spent a few hours with a bottle of wine and a bushel of beans.
Lessons Learned?
Two weeks later, still excited about fulfilling our neighbors wishes, we went to Caputo’s for our weekly groceries. Upon arriving in that specialty produce aisle referenced in my Fava Bean post, my heart stopped. Before me, in all its glory, was a giant pile of fresh, beautiful Borlotti beans and a table filled with 1 pound bags selling for $1.99 per pound. It was the first year, ever, the store carried the beans. Once my heart started beating again, my husband and I decide to buy two bags for my neighbor and one for ourselves. The three of us laughed about it, but none of us regretted how it all happened. This journey brought joy and memories to an elderly neighbor and brought the beautiful, delicious Borlotti Beans into our lives. That, in itself, is priceless and worth every ounce of effort.
Borlotti Beans in B Minor?
Why? Because Borlotti sounds like an Italian classical music composer, doesn’t it? Enjoy this quick video of our Borlotti Beans accompanied by my husband’s hauntingly beautiful rendition of the theme song from the movie Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen Borlotti beans. Note: if using dried, packaged beans, follow package instructions for pre-soaking.
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed, stems discarded
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 -3 cups water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
01
Heat the oil in a 3 1/2 quart sauce pan.
02
Add in crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme leaves, and red pepper flakes. Sauté 1 minute.
03
Add the drained beans to the pot and stir until all beans are coated with the olive oil.
04
Add water to fully cover the beans and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste.
05
Allow to simmer, on low heat for 40 minutes. Be sure to check the pot every few minutes to make sure the beans remain covered with water. If the water has absorbed, add more and continue to cook until the beans are tender.
Taste for doneness. The beans should have turned brown, they should be tooth tender, and the texture of the bean should be creamy.
Variations
Add a few quartered plum tomatoes to the mix, combined with cooked datalini pasta and served with a dusting of Pecorino Romano cheese for a beautiful Pasta e Fagioli.
Substitute thyme with rosemary or sage and throw in some chunks of smoked sausage for a delicious pork and beans dinner. This was actually an inspiration for a recently made cassoulet.
Can’t find Borlotti Beans? No problem! Try this recipe with Pinto Beans or Kidney Beans.
Fresh Borlotti Beans, as mentioned earlier, are a great addition to any late summer or early fall meal. They are creamy, dreamy little pearls of loveliness that tantalize the tastebuds in ways that will make you crave more. My freezer is adequately stocked, but I know that when I get to that last bag of beans, it will be like saying goodbye to and old friend. The good news is next year we will be armed with knowledge from a summer of discovery.
As always, enjoy!
