A typical dish of traditional Tuscan cuisine, especially in Florence and the surrounding area. Just a few, simple, tasty ingredients. A generous helping can also be served as a main course, not just as a side dish; they aren’t overly flavoursome, in fact they have a delicate taste, thanks to the slow cooking in water with oil and sage. Then they gain flavour in the sauce – which seems homemade! – with garlic, tomato and pepper....
“Fagioli all’Uccelletto” is a vegan dish, full of flavour and history. At the Fattoria it’s a must during the olive harvest, served directly in the fields, accompanied by a “fettunta” (= toasted bread with olive oil and garlic), sausages and a glass of young red wine. The beans are perfect with fried eggs, barbecued meat and oven-cooked vegetables, as part of a rustic board of appetizers with cheeses, crostini and cold cuts, or as a topping on bruschetta.
The curious name, probably, comes from the fact that sage is used in the recipe. This herb, widely used in Tuscan cuisine, was absolutely indispensable when cooking “uccelletti” (= little birds) in any way – in the oven, spit-roast, stewed. Today it’s difficult to come across such dishes, but this Tuscan recipe for beans in tomato sauce maintains the amusing name.
Ingredients: Cannellini beans, Tomato, Extra virgin olive oil, Garlic, Sea salt, Ground black pepper, Sage.