Equipment
Ingredients
Stew Base
- 300 g leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into half-moons
- 45 ml olive oil
- 2 garlic, minced
- 2 fresh rosemary, whole sprigs
- 15 g tomato paste
- 480 g borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
- 500 ml vegetable broth, hot
- fine sea salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Crispy Garlic Breadcrumbs
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
- 1 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 422 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 15 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1290 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 1821 mg
- Calcium
- 124 mg
- Iron
- 8.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 28 mg
- Phosphorus
- 259 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 91 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 46 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 49 mcg
- Water
- 188 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Trim the dark green tops and root ends from the leeks. Slice them in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half-moons. Wash thoroughly in a bowl of cold water to remove hidden dirt, then drain well.
Heat 45ml of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cleaned leeks and a pinch of salt. Sauté gently until the leeks are completely soft and translucent, but not browned.
Stir the minced garlic, whole rosemary sprigs, and tomato paste into the softened leeks. Cook for another minute until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic is highly aromatic.
Pour the rinsed borlotti beans and hot vegetable broth into the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil around 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered to allow the flavors to meld and the broth to thicken slightly.
While the stew simmers, prepare the breadcrumbs. In a small skillet, heat 30ml of olive oil with the smashed garlic clove over medium heat. Once the garlic begins to sizzle and lightly brown, remove and discard it. Add the panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt to the infused oil, stirring constantly until golden and crisp.
Remove the rosemary sprigs from the stew and discard them. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Ladle into shallow bowls and top generously with the crispy garlic breadcrumbs just before eating.
Chef's Notes
- Washing leeks correctly is crucial. Always slice them first, then submerge in cold water. Dirt falls to the bottom of the bowl, so lift the leeks out rather than pouring the water through a strainer.
- The secret to a creamy bean stew without adding dairy is bean starch. Mashing a fraction of your beans directly in the pot transforms a thin broth into a luxurious, velvety sauce.
- Pangrattato, or toasted breadcrumbs, was historically used in Italy as a poor man's parmesan. The crunch provides necessary textural contrast to the soft beans and melting leeks.
- If using dried beans instead of canned, soak 200g of dried borlotti beans overnight, then simmer them in water with aromatics for 60 to 90 minutes until tender before using them in this recipe.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the stew and the breadcrumbs in separate airtight containers. Breadcrumbs should be kept at room temperature.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the stew only. Do not freeze the breadcrumbs.
Reheating: Reheat stew gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if it has thickened too much in the fridge.
Troubleshooting
Stew broth is too thin and watery
Cause: Not enough starch was released from the beans to thicken the liquid
Fix: Ladle out half a cup of beans, mash them to a paste with a fork, and stir them back into the pot. Simmer for 3 more minutes.
Prevention: Allow the stew to simmer longer uncovered, or mash some beans intentionally
Breadcrumbs taste bitter
Cause: The garlic or the breadcrumbs burned in the skillet
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Discard and quickly make a new batch.
Prevention: Keep the heat at medium or medium-low and stir constantly; remove the garlic before it turns dark brown
Leeks are gritty or crunchy
Cause: Soil trapped between the leek layers was not fully washed out
Fix: Cannot be fixed once incorporated into the dish.
Prevention: Agitate the sliced leeks thoroughly in a large bowl of water, allowing the dirt to sink to the bottom before lifting the leeks out
Cultural Context
Borlotti beans, also known as cranberry beans, are a foundational ingredient in rustic Italian cooking, frequently starring in hearty regional zuppe and stews. This dish utilizes pangrattato, an old-world technique created to provide a savory, crunchy topping to pasta and soups in regions where expensive aged cheeses were an unaffordable luxury.
