Fasolka po bretońsku
Fasolka po bretońsku: Polish 'Breton-style' white beans in tomato with sausage and bacon
Despite its name, nothing about fasolka po bretońsku is French; this is pure Polish canteen and milk-bar food, the thick, brick-red bean stew that has fed Warsaw students, soldiers and hungry families for generations. White beans simmer in tomato with smoked pork sausage, smoked bacon, onion and plenty of marjoram until creamy, smoky and slightly sweet. It is filling enough on its own with a hunk of bread and even better reheated the next day. Under-cooked beans are the most common disappointment; they must be soft right through before the tomato goes in, because acid stops them softening. Soak the dried beans overnight beforehand. Chef's tip: mash a ladle of the cooked beans against the side of the pot before serving to give the sauce its typical velvety body.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the stew
- 14 oz dried white beans (such as Jaś or cannellini)soaked overnight in cold water
- 5 ½ oz smoked streaky pork bacondiced
- 12 ½ oz smoked pork sausage (kiełbasa), gluten-freesliced into half-moons; check the label
- 2 onionschopped
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 cups tomato passata
- 2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp saltto taste
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
To serve
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 14 oz dried white beans (such as Jaś or cannellini), cover with fresh water by 5 cm in a large pot, add the 2 bay leaves and 4 allspice berries and boil hard for 10 minutes, skimming the foam.
12 minStep 2: Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 40–50 minutes, until the beans are completely creamy inside when squashed. Do not salt yet. Drain, keeping 300 ml of the cooking water.
45 minStep 3: In the same pot over a medium heat, fry the 5 ½ oz smoked streaky pork bacon for 6 minutes until the fat runs and it turns golden. Add the 12 ½ oz smoked pork sausage (kiełbasa), gluten-free and fry 4 minutes until browned at the edges.
10 minStep 4: Add the 2 onions and fry 6 minutes until soft, then stir in the 2 garlic cloves and 3 tbsp tomato purée (double concentrate) for 1 minute until the paste darkens.
7 minStep 5: Return the beans with the 2 cups tomato passata, the kept cooking water, 2 tsp dried marjoram, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp sugar. Simmer, stirring now and then, for 15 minutes until thick; the sausage should be steaming hot throughout and the bacon fully cooked.
15 minStep 6: Mash a ladle of beans against the side of the pot to thicken the sauce. Season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and serve hot with 2 tbsp fresh parsley and bread.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 14 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fasolka po bretońsku take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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