Fagioli con le Cotiche

About This Recipe

Fagioli con le Cotiche is the cucina povera masterpiece of San Marino and central Italy — humble borlotti beans and pork rind simmered for hours in a garlicky tomato sauce until the rind melts into the beans and the sauce becomes thick and unctuous. It is peasant food elevated by patience.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gdried borlotti beans, soaked overnight
• 250 gpork rind (cotiche), cut into strips
• 400 gcanned crushed tomatoes
• 3 clovesgarlic, sliced
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sprigfresh rosemary

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch the rind

   Boil pork rind strips in unsalted water for 20 minutes to remove excess fat. Drain and rinse.

2. 2

   Cook the beans

   Drain the soaked beans and simmer in fresh water for 45 minutes until nearly tender. Reserve the cooking liquid.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   In a large pot, gently fry garlic and rosemary in olive oil. Add crushed tomatoes and cook 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Combine and braise

   Add beans, pork rind, and enough bean cooking liquid to generously cover. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 50–60 minutes until the rind is very tender and the sauce thick.

5. 5

   Serve

   Remove rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil and serve in deep bowls with crusty bread.

Variations

• •

  Add celery and carrot for a soffritto base.

• •

  Replace pork rind with smoked pancetta for a quicker version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days; freezes well for 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions