Bean salad with pancetta

Delicious bean salad featuring crispy pancetta, perfect for a savory and satisfying meal. Packed with flavors that will satisfy your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup each 4 kinds of beans
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 small carrots, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
• 12 sprigs thyme
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Splashes sherry or red wine vinegar
• 8 very thin slices pancetta

Instructions:

1. In individual pots, place each type of dried bean separately. To save time, if you prefer, you can cook them together by adding the largest beans first and gradually adding the smaller ones so they all finish at the same time. Fill each pot with water, ensuring there's at least a 3-inch depth. Add 1 piece of carrot, 1 clove of garlic, and 2 sprigs of thyme to each pot.
2. Gently simmer the beans – the water should make soft bursting sounds rather than vigorously bubbling. Cook the beans until they are just tender, not mushy, which typically takes 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the beans. Once done, drain, rinse with cool water, and let them cool down. Remove and discard the carrot, garlic, and thyme sprigs.
3. Finely chop the remaining clove of garlic. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for about a minute. Add the beans and cook for another minute to warm them slightly and infuse the garlic flavor. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the remaining thyme sprigs and mix them with the beans. Add vinegar to taste, enough to enhance the flavors. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed.
4. Preheat the broiler. Place the pancetta on a baking sheet and broil until it becomes crispy.
5. Transfer the bean salad onto a wide and shallow serving dish. Arrange the crispy pancetta on top and drizzle with a bit more olive oil.

Summary:

• Calories: 1248 kcal
• Fat: 99 g
• Protein: 33 g
• Carbs: 64 g
• Potassium: 2087 mg
• Magnesium: 199 mg