Bold Bean Co
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Pick and Mix
ALL ABOUT: THE QUEEN BORLOTTI BEAN
Our mission is to make people OBSESSED with beans by giving them the BEST of beans. We feel pretty confident that we've accomplished this with the mainstream varieties: our The Queen Chickpea and The Queen Butter Bean. BUT now it's time to enter an Italian treasure: the beautiful borlotti.
An Italian Delight
The Borlotti Bean - also known as the cranberry bean, rosecoco bean or even sold as a "pinto bean" ! - are a beloved staple in Italian and Portuguese cuisines. It's Italy's cool cousin, if you will.
They may be more familiar to you in their dried form - with their striking pink speckled pods - but not only are they beautiful to look at, they are ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, with a creamy, almost buttery flavour, and a slight sweetness.
Behind the History 🤓
An Introduction to Europe
Originally from South America, borlotti beans were first cultivated by indigenous people who valued their nutrition and they became a crucial dietary component, containing all nine essential amino acids, with one cup providing 17 grams of protein. They're high in beans are high in dietary fiber helping to aid digestion and regular bowel movements.
Borlotti beans arrived in Europe during the Columbian Exchange in the 16th century. European explorers brought them back from America, and they quickly gained popularity in Italy and Portugal due to IDEAL growing conditions. Which is where we hunted for our very own, but it wasn't easy...
Queen Beans like no other
Many Borlotti's are actually sold as Pinto beans (a very similar variety) dressed up as borlotti's - but we wanted the real deal. And we found it! - in the countryside surrounding Cuneo, in the Piedmont region, and they are THE MOST incredible tasting creamy beans.
Like all our beans, they are cooked The Bold Bean way, low + slow in just salt + water to really enhance their natural flavour. It’s not a huge harvest, so in some ways this is an exclusive drop
ARE THEY TASTY?!
Plump borlotti beans are buttery, similar to a cannellini bean, but larger in size, and with more bite than a soft butter bean. They have tender skins with a creamy interior and like with our entire range, we encourage you to eat these beans straight out of the jar to fully appreciate them in their FULL GLORY.
Borlotti beans are extremely popular in Mediterranean cooking, but are most classically used in a dish called Pasta E Fagioli, a brothy bowl of ‘peasant food’ containing creamy beans and pasta, which comforts you like nothing else - try out our recipe here.
In Portugal, they are often cooked with sausages, pork, and spices, creating rich and satisfying meals that are enjoyed throughout the country.
BEAN INSPIRED?
