Slow Cooker Beans with Pancetta, Olives and Herbs
Beans with Pancetta, Olives and Herbs is usually made with cannellini beans but pinto beans will work as a substitute. Pancetta, sometimes referred to as “Italian bacon,” is cured (not smoked) pork belly that is seasoned with salt, black pepper and other spices. If you can’t find it, substitute bacon and when you season at the end of cooking, add a little seasoned salt, such as Spike Original.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried cannellini beans or dried pinto beans
- 4 ounces coarsely chopped pancetta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 shallots peeled, halved lengthwise
- 3 medium-size carrots peeled, cut crosswise into 3 to 4 pieces (if bottom portion is very thick, cut in half lengthwise)
- 4 celery stalks trimmed, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 good-sized sprigs of fresh thyme
- 32 ounces canned chicken broth plus more as needed, see cook’s notes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
- 6 to 8 ounces chilled fresh log-style goat cheese, crumbled (substitute feta or Cotija if you like)
- ⅔ cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives drained
Instructions
Do Ahead:
- Spread beans on a colored towel and remove any debris, such as small stones or damaged beans (all dried bean recipes used to start this way, but I admit that I haven’t ferreted out any “debris” in years, just saying). Put beans in pan and cover with cold water, using enough water to come 3 inches above the beans. Soak for 6 to 12 hours; drain.
Preparation:
- In a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat, cook the pancetta in the olive oil, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add shallots, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until just starting to soften. Transfer entire mixture to slow cooker; add beans, bay leaves and thyme. Add broth and enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Cover and cook on High for 4½ hours. The beans need to be covered with liquid at all times to cook properly (don’t worry if some beans float to the top of the broth during cooking — as they cook, they will sink). Toward the end of cooking, season with salt and pepper. When done, the beans will be tender and hold their shape, rather than fall apart. Remove bay leaves and herb sprig; discard. Stir in parsley.
- Serve beans in shallow soup bowls along with a small portion of broth; top with crumbled goat cheese and sliced olives.
Notes
Cook's notes: You may need a lot more broth. It depends on the configuration of your slow cooker. When I used my old slow cooker that is smallish and the perimeter of the vessel is round, I only need 32 ounces of broth. When I use my much larger slow cooker that has an oval-shaped vessel, I need much more broth to cover the beans. The broth turns out to have a delicious flavor, so if I end up with more, the finished dish is soupier. That’s not a complaint.