White Beans, Tuscan Style

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 1 to 2 hours, largely unattended

M V

An indispensable bean dish that can be enjoyed hot, cold, or at room temperature — one of my kids used to love it as an after-school snack. Serve it with a salad and crusty bread or toss it with a bit of cooked small pasta (like orecchiette) or greens (like cabbage), and you have a fantastic lunch or dinner. It reheats perfectly; just add a bit of water if the beans are too dry.

Other beans you can use: dried gigantes, fava, pinto, cranberry, kidney, appaloosa, anasazi, black-eyed peas, green or brown lentils, soybeans

• 1 pound dried white beans (cannellini, navy, Great Northern, or lima), rinsed and picked over
• 20 fresh sage leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or more to taste)

1. Put the beans in a large saucepan with water to cover. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the sage, turn the heat down so the liquid bubbles steadily but not violently, and partially cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, 1 to 2 hours; add water if the beans dry out.
2. Drain the cooking liquid if necessary, then sprinkle the beans with salt and pepper and stir in the garlic. Taste and adjust the seasoning, stir in the oil, and serve.

Favas with Scallions Use fava instead of white beans and omit the sage. Use ¼ cup chopped scallions instead of or in addition to the garlic.

Chickpeas with Jalapeños Substitute chickpeas for the white beans and 1 onion, chopped, for the sage. Add 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño chile with the garlic.

Pinto Beans with Red Bell Pepper Cilantro stems, loaded with flavor, can withstand longer cooking than the more fragile leaves: Use pinto beans instead of white beans and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro stems instead of the sage. Sauté 1 cup sliced red bell pepper in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until soft and add with the garlic in Step 2. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.