Cannellini Bean Cutlets with Crispy Breading

Cannellini Bean Cutlets with Crispy Breading are a tasty vegetarian dish that is an alternative to traditional meat cutlets. Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 400 g cooked cannellini beans (you can also use canned ones, well drained)
• 1 egg
• 50 g breadcrumbs
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Flour as needed for breading
• Breadcrumbs as needed for the final coating
• Extra virgin olive oil or frying oil

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mash the beans with a fork or use a blender to make a uniform mixture.
2. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well until the dough is workable and even. If the mixture is too wet, you can add a little more breadcrumbs.
3. Take some of the mixture and shape it into a cutlet, then coat it in flour, dip it into the beaten egg (if you want a lighter version you can skip this step), and finally coat it in breadcrumbs, pressing well to adhere the breading.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan and when it’s hot, fry the bean cutlets until they are golden and crispy on both sides.
5. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil before serving.

For a truly Italian touch, you could flavor your breadcrumbs with herbs like oregano, rosemary, and dry basil. It will be a nice way to give even more aroma and Mediterranean flavor to your bean cutlets.

Curiosity

Legume cutlets are a valid alternative to animal proteins and are very versatile in cooking. With the same basic ingredients, you can experiment by adding different spices or other aromatic herbs to vary the taste.