Zuppa di Fagioli e Cotiche
Zuppa di fagioli e cotiche, known locally as fascioli co' le cotiche, is a hearty inland Marchigiano winter stew of creamy borlotti beans and tender pork rind.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large saucepan
- •Terracotta pot or Dutch oven
- •Slotted spoon
- •Sharp kitchen knife
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 46 g
- fibre
- 12 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Blanch the scraped pork rind in boiling unsalted water for fifteen minutes to soften.
- 2
Drain the rind, let it cool slightly, then slice into thin ribbons.
- 3
Heat the olive oil and chopped pancetta in a heavy pot over medium heat.
- 4
Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and crushed garlic to the melted fat.
- 5
Fry gently for eight minutes until the vegetables soften and turn fragrant.
- 6
Stir in the sliced pork rind ribbons and cook for two minutes.
- 7
Add the drained borlotti beans, rosemary sprig, and tomato passata.
- 8
Pour in one litre of warm water to cover the ingredients completely.
- 9
Simmer gently over low heat for eighty minutes until the beans and rind are tender.
- 10
Ladle out one cup of beans, mash them smooth, and stir back into the pot.
- 11
Season the soup with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- 12
Rest off the heat for ten minutes before ladling into warm bowls.
Chef's tips
Blanching the pork rind beforehand removes excess surface fat and ensures a velvety, tender bite without greasiness. Mashing a portion of the cooked beans naturally thickens the broth into a rich, comforting consistency.
Ingredient substitutions
- dried borlotti beans → dried cannellini beans or dried cranberry beans
- unsmoked pancetta → lardo or unsmoked streaky bacon finely diced
Storage
Store chilled in an airtight container for up to three days, as the flavours deepen overnight.
Reheating
Reheat slowly in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the thick broth.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the initial blanching step for the pork rind, which makes the soup greasy and the rind tough.
- •Salting the beans at the beginning of cooking, which hardens the skins and slows tenderisation.
- •Boiling too vigorously, which breaks the beans apart before the pork rind softens.
Serving suggestions
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