Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew

Name: Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: , Table salt; 1 pound, dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over; 1 tablespoon, extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 6 ounces, pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (see note); 1 large, onion, chopped medium (about 1 1/2 cups); 2 medium, celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup); 2 medium, carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup); 8 medium, garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; 4 cups, low-sodium chicken broth; 3 cups, water; 2 , bay leaves; 1 bunch, kale or collard greens (about 1 pound), stems trimmed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed); 1 , (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed; 1 sprig, fresh rosemary; , Ground black pepper; 8 slices, country white bread, each 1 1/4 inches thick, broiled until golden brown on both sides and rubbed with garlic clove (optional)

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated March/April 2008

SERVES8

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

We were determined to avoid tough, exploded beans in our Tuscan bean stew recipe, so we soaked the beans overnight in salted water, which softened the skins. Then we experimented with cooking times and temperatures, discovering that gently ...

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