Description
Creamy, hearty and warming, Cacio e Pepe is one of my favourite dishes – so why not make a variation with beans? Yes, you read that right! Today we’re making Cacio e Pepe beans.
Ingredients
Units
For the Beans
- 3 tins cannellini beans
- 2 white onions
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/3 – 1/2 cups water/stock (homemade or use stock powder/pots)
- 100g parmesan
- 200g kale
- freshly ground black pepper, salt and oil as needed
For the Quick Pickled Chilli
- 2 red chilli
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Wilt the kale in a pan with a bit of oil until softened and tender. Set aside for later, then wipe the pan out.
- Add a drizzle of oil to the pan. Dice the onions and sweat in the pan over a medium heat with the bay leaves until soft.
- While the onions and bay leaves are sweating, make the chilli pickle. Slice the chilli thinly, then place it in a bowl with the lime juice, pinch of salt and sugar. Set aside to pickle while you make the rest of the dish.
- Once the onions have softened, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Drain and rinse 2 cans of cannellini beans and add them to the pan, then add the last can of beans including the liquid, plus the extra ⅓ cup water or stock and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the parmesan to the bean mixture and stir until combined. Add more water/stock as need at this stage to yield creamy beans, roughly the consistency of risotto.
- Season the beans to taste with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Top the beans with the quick pickled chilli and the wilted kale, and serve.
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 Minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1