White Beans “all’Uccelletto” is an extraordinary example of how Italian cuisine transforms simple ingredients into a dish rich in flavor and tradition.
4 people
1
Peel the garlic cloves and crush them. Place them in a pan with the oil, sage, and rosemary.
2
Add the cannellini beans, season with salt and ground black pepper. Let it flavor for a few minutes.
3
Add the Mutti passata, salt and pepper and continue cooking for ten minutes.
4
Serve with slices of toasted bread.
White Beans “all’Uccelletto” is an extraordinary example of how Italian cuisine transforms simple ingredients into a dish rich in flavor and tradition. This dish has humble origins, born as a peasant dish in Florence, Tuscany. Its history is linked to the agricultural tradition of the region, where beans were an economic and nutritious source of protein for peasant families.
The name could derive from the well-known ironic sense of humor of the Tuscan people who originally called this dish “fagioli all’uccelletto scappato” – beans with escaped little bird, joking about the humble origins of stewed beans. This is the most likely answer, given that the beans were often served as a side dish to roasted birds. According to Pellegrino Artusi, the name derives from the use of the same aromas, in particular sage, also used for the preparation of game.
You only need a few and simple ingredients to prepare the beans: beans, garlic, sage, and quality tomato sauce. According to Florentine tradition, the beans to use are cannellini. However, there are also many variations, such as the Borlotti beans, Schiaccioni di Pietrasanta, or Lamon beans.
