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Per the Mediterranean Diet, we should be consuming ½ cup of cooked (¼ cup dry) beans or legumes per day. Many Americans fall short on this requirement, but luckily there are many tasty Italian recipes — from minestre and bean, chickpea, and lentil soups to side dishes such as Cannellini brasati/Braised Cannellini Beans and classics such as Fave e cicoria/Fava Beans with Chicory.

Throughout the centuries, beans and lentils were often dismissed as “poor man’s food” and even nowadays are considered vegetarian protein sources that are meat substitutes. However, when we consider how good beans are for our health, how good they are for our environment, and the fact that they lend themselves to so many cooking applications, they should be enjoyed much more often.

In ancient times, lentils were actually a form of currency, and beans were used to count. The power of the ancient Egyptian empire depended upon revenue from lentils because it was the chief exporter of them to the Mediterranean. To this day, we eat lentils on New Year’s in Italy to signify prosperity. Whatever your reason for eating them is, having precooked beans on hand makes cooking a cinch.

When purchasing dried beans and lentils, be on the lookout for DOP and IGP Italian varieties, which signal genuine ingredients coming from specific areas with certification from the Italian government. (Chapter 5 talks more about product labeling). For example, you might see Fagioli Bianchi di Rotonda DOP, Fagiolo Cannellino di Atina DOP, Fagiolo Cuneo IGP, Fagiolo di Lamon della Vallata Bellunese IGP, and Fagiolo di Sarconi IGP or heirloom versions that are being re-introduced to the market for flavor and quality. Otherwise, use your favorite kinds. In Italy, borlotti (Roman), cannellini, and white beans are used most extensively.

I like to cook beans once a week, at the same time I’m using up my leftover bits to make stock, bread crumbs, and crostini. This way, I know that I have them on hand for the week to add to soups, salads, and pasta dishes, or to purée and use to top crostini or as a bed for vegetables or seafood.

Note that beans and lentils come in many varieties. All dried beans need to be soaked overnight (or covered in boiling water for an hour) before they can be cooked. Lentils come in red, green, brown, and black varieties and do not require soaking before cooking. The red varieties can cook up in as little as 5 minutes — making them one of the most ancient forms of “fast food.”