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Overhead bowl of fagioli con le cotiche showing tender borlotti beans, glossy pork rind pieces, and rosemary on a rustic wood table

Fagioli con le Cotiche: Slow-Simmered Pork Rind Beans

A Roman-Umbrian stew of borlotti beans and pork rind, simmered low until the broth turns thick and glossy on its own.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup / Stew
Cuisine: Italian (Roman)
Calories: 224
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g dried borlotti beans soaked overnight in cold water, drained
  • 350 g pork rind (cotiche) scraped clean, cut into 2 cm / 3/4-inch strips
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more to finish
  • 1 yellow onion medium; finely chopped
  • 1 carrot finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes optional
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 l water or vegetable broth more as needed
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • crusty bread to serve; optional

Method
 

Prep the beans and pork rind
  1. Drain the soaked borlotti beans and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
  2. Scrape any remaining hair or bristle off the pork rind with a paring knife, then cut it into 2 cm / 3/4-inch strips.
  3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the pork rind strips for 5 minutes to remove surface fat and impurities. Drain and rinse.
Build and simmer the stew
  1. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart / 4.5L Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and pale gold.
  2. Add the garlic, rosemary, and chili flakes if using. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the blanched pork rind and tomato paste, coating everything in the fat for about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, drained beans, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.
  5. Cover partially and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes, until the beans are creamy and the pork rind is soft and gelatinous. Add more water if the stew looks too thick before the beans are fully tender.
  6. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

  • Blanch pork rind first to strip excess fat and residual bristle.
  • Simmer low and slow; a hard boil breaks the beans apart.
  • Stew tastes better the next day once the broth settles.
  • Add water gradually near the end if broth thickens too fast.