Ingredients for 6 people:400 g Cannellini beans (boiled)1 stalk of celery1 carrot250 g potatoes1 onion1 sprig of rosemary3-4 sage leaves600 ml vegetable broth1 clove of garlic4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil salt *** To garnish:30 g dry homemade bread crust6 sprigs of rosemary *** (A) 100 g grated pecorino cheese, for the pecorino “crisps” (B) 90 g Tuscan salami (C) 12 leaves of Tuscan kale, 2 -3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some salt, for the Tuscan kale “crisps”
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan and sauté the onion (cleaned and finely chopped) and garlic over a low heat. When the garlic has browned, remove it. Clean, wash and pat dry the carrot and celery; then chop them coarsely, together with the sage and rosemary, using a mezzaluna knife. Add the chopped mixture to the onion in the pan and sauté over a low heat for a few minutes. In the meanwhile wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into small pieces and add them to the pan. Season with salt and allow everything to cook for a few minutes, then add the beans (drained of all their water) and the vegetable broth. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes. Blend everything using a stick blender until smooth and creamy.
Coarsely chop the bread crust in a food processor and then bake it into a preheated oven, at 180 °C, for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Pour the cream of Cannellini into small bowls and sprinkle the breadcrumb “crumble” on top. Garnish each bowl with a sprig of rosemary and the other “toppings”; you can choose the ones that you prefer or use all three together. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil or chilli oil – which would be perfect! – on top if you like.
For the toppings:
(A) Pecorino “crisps”: put the grated pecorino in 6 little mounds on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Use the back of a spoon to flatten them into thin disks about 6 cm in diameter (you can use a ring/biscuit cutter of the right size) and all the same thickness. If you like you can season them with a pinch of pepper, or chilli pepper, paprika, curry or spices according to taste. Cook in a preheated oven, at 200 °C, for about 10 minutes, until they’re a nice golden colour. The take them out of the oven and leave to cool. They are good hot, but not scorching.
(B) Cut the slices of salami into thin strips and arrange them on top pf the crumble.
(C) Tuscan kale “crisps”: tear up the kale leaves, put them in a bowl and season with olive oil and salt (and chilli pepper if you like), then lay them out on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and cook in a preheated oven, at 150 °C, for roughly 10 minutes; take care, they must become crispy but without burning. Garnish each bowl with 2 or 3 kale “crisps”, according to size.
If you prefer, you can accompany the creamed beans with the three toppings served separately, leaving your guests free to choose...