Tuscan farinata with kale and beans is a rustic soup typical of Tuscan cuisine and a classic simple peasant dish, ideal for warming up during the winter months. It is a very tasty and flavorful soup made with kale, a mix of celery, carrot, and onion, borlotti or cannellini beans, garlic if desired, sage, tomato puree, and concentrate for extra flavor. Finally, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cornmeal.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter
Ingredients to prepare Tuscan farinata with kale and borlotti beans
- 7 oz kale
- 7 oz canned cannellini beans
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 onion
- 4 tbsps tomato puree
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 leaves sage
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste black pepper
- vegetable broth
- 2.8 oz cornmeal (for instant polenta)
Tools
- 1 Pot
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon
Steps to make Tuscan farinata with kale and beans
To prepare Tuscan farinata with kale and beans, first start by cleaning the kale. Wash the leaves well, remove the central stem, and cut the kale leaves into pieces. In a large pot, heat some extra virgin olive oil, add the chopped celery, carrot, and onion, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add chili pepper and garlic clove if you like (in this case, I did not add garlic), also add the chopped kale leaves and let them wilt. Once wilted, add 3 tablespoons of tomato puree, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
Once everything is well combined, pour in the vegetable broth to cover everything, drain the pre-cooked cannellini beans from their liquid and add them to the pot. Stir well with a wooden spoon and let it cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. As the last step, add the cornmeal for instant polenta and let the farinata cook, stirring well with the wooden spoon to avoid lumps.
Cook for another 5 minutes and check the consistency. If it has thickened too much, you can add more vegetable broth.
Storage and Tips
If using canned borlotti beans, avoid using their liquid, drain them well.
You can use either cannellini or borlotti beans.
You can store the farinata in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
If you want a thicker soup, add more cornmeal for instant polenta, if you want it more liquid, add less.
If you want a thicker soup, add more cornmeal for instant polenta, if you want it more liquid, add less.
