The cranberry bean is a small, meaty little bean that plumps into a pleasant roundness once cooked. It makes a natural pairing for einkorn, an ancient variety of wheat that has a complex, nutty flavor. These two heavy and satiating foods find balance with robust tomatoes, vibrant green herbs, and a punch of pancetta’s pleasant saltiness in this easy, thick soup. It’s perfect for late summer, when herbs and tomatoes are often at their best. I make it in winter, too, when my family longs for both warmth and the brightness of summer foods. In those dark days, I rely on the jars of yellow, orange, and red heirloom tomatoes I had the foresight to put up in the summer.
SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup cranberry beans
- 1 cup einkorn wheat berries
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups Chicken Bone Broth or Chicken Foot Broth
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Soak the cranberry beans and einkorn wheat berries in hot water in a mixing bowl for at least 12 and up to 18 hours, draining and replenishing the water at least once.
- Drain and rinse the mixture well.
- Warm the olive oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the pancetta and cook until crisp, about 6 minutes.
- Stir in the thyme and rosemary and fry them for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pluck out the rosemary needles with a pair of tongs and discard them.
- Add the garlic and onion to the pot and cook until softened and deeply fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add the beans, grain, crushed tomatoes, and broth to the pot.
- Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until the beans are tender.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the basil and parsley, and serve.
