Black Kale and Borlotti Bean Farinata

Black kale and borlotti bean farinata is a nutritious and tasty dish, perfect for a meal rich in proteins and fibers. Here are the ingredients and preparation for a typically Italian dish with a vegetarian twist.

Ingredients

• 300 g of fresh or canned borlotti beans
• 200 g of black kale
• 100 g of chickpea flour
• 300 ml of water
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Rosemary to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. If using fresh borlotti beans, soak them overnight, then boil them in water for about an hour or until they become tender. If you’re using canned borlotti beans, drain and rinse them under running water.
2. Clean the black kale by removing the harder parts of the stems and chop the leaves into strips.
3. In a pot, cook the black kale in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, then drain and squeeze it out.
4. In a bowl, mix the chickpea flour with water, a pinch of salt and pepper until you get a smooth batter.
5. Heat a little oil in a pan and add garlic and rosemary to flavor the oil.
6. Remove the borlotti beans from their preserving liquid, add them to the black kale and sauté briefly in the pan with garlic and rosemary.
7. Remove the garlic and rosemary from the pan, then pour the chickpea flour batter over the black kale and beans, leveling with a spoon.
8. Cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the farinata sets and the surface turns golden brown.
9. Serve the farinata hot, maybe with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and an additional sprinkle of black pepper.

Curiosity

Chickpea farinata is a traditional dish of Ligurian cuisine, but in this version, it is enriched with black kale and borlotti beans, two ingredients widely used in Tuscan cooking. The result is a perfect meeting of the culinary traditions of these two Italian regions.