Italian Soup with Dried Beans and Corn - Minestra di Bobici
Ingredients: 250 g dried beans (borlotti) 2 ears of corn (I used precooked, but you can use fresh corn cut from the cob with a knife or directly boiled kernels from a can, or even dried corn; however, after breaking it, soak it overnight with the beans and then cook it together with the beans) 150 g smoked pancetta with the rind cut into pieces 2 potatoes 2 bay leaves, salt, and ground pepper 2 tablespoons of oil
For a delicious bean soup, preparation begins with good planning. First, you need to soak the beans. It is recommended to leave the beans in cold water overnight so that they hydrate and become easier to cook. In the morning, check the beans and throw away any floating beans or skins, then rinse the beans with cold water to remove impurities.
Place the beans in a large pot and add cold water, filling it to about two fingers above the beans. Bring the water to a boil over medium to low heat and let the beans simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the type of beans used. It is important to change the water after the first boil, skimming off any impurities from the surface.
After changing the water, put the beans to boil again, but this time on the lowest possible heat, close to the minimum temperature, and add a piece of smoked meat, such as pancetta. Let it come to a boil, then change the water again to degrease the soup, making sure the flavor remains aromatic but not too greasy. At this stage, the taste will depend greatly on the quality of the meat used.
Add to the pot oil, corn kernels, bay leaves, and two peeled potatoes, leaving them whole. Continue boiling until the beans are well cooked and the potatoes become so tender that you can easily mash them. Once you finish with the potatoes, remove them from the pot, mash them with a fork, and throw them back into the broth to enrich the soup.
If you wish, now is the time to add the garlic sauté, made from lard or oil, along with garlic, but I chose not to add this step. Regarding the corn, if you use fresh sweet corn, add it during boiling, along with the potatoes. Dried corn should be soaked in cold water along with the beans and boiled together from the start. If you use canned corn, add it towards the end, when all the other ingredients are already cooked.
This bean soup is a perfect example of simple food, but with a rich taste, due to the quality ingredients. There are many variations of this recipe, each with a personal touch, such as adding celery stalk, carrot, and onion to the garlic sauté, or even a chopped tomato. Each added ingredient can transform the soup into a unique culinary experience. So, enjoy every step of preparing this wonderful bean soup!
