Piedmontese Bean Soup

Place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak overnight, so they gradually absorb the water and cook more evenly. Once done, check that they are well rehydrated and drain them completely before proceeding.

Place the soaked beans in a pot with a little cold water and bring to a boil. When the water reaches a visibly boiling point, drain them and discard the cooking water. This brief step prepares the beans for the next cooking step and allows you to start over with clean water.

Put the carrot, potato and celery in a pan together with thebay leaf, then add two liters of water. Bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are fork-tender. The liquid should remain hot and gently simmering, while the vegetables should be easily mashed.

Mash the cooked potato and carrot until smooth and soft. Return the pulp to the pot and stir to distribute it throughout the liquid: the broth will become thicker and slightly cloudy. Season with salt to taste and pepper, then remove the bay leaf.

Chop finely lardo, garlic, onion, sage and parsley. Transfer the chopped mixture to a skillet and do it gently sauté over medium heat, stirring, until the lardo It will have melted and the onion will appear soft and slightly translucent. Avoid browning the garlic or herbs, which should retain their aroma without burning.

Pour the soffritto in the pot with the soup and stir carefully to combine the seasoning with the broth. Continue cooking for about ten minutes at a moderate boil: the surface should barely move and the aroma of lardo, sage and parsley must be well integrated.

Turn off the heat When the soup is hot, fragrant, and slightly thickened by the mashed vegetables, divide it immediately into serving bowls and serve piping hot, keeping the broth smooth and the seasoning evenly distributed throughout each serving.