You'll need to begin this recipe the day before.
White beans
Part of the kidney bean family, white beans can include haricot, cannellini, lima and butter beans. They need to be soaked prior to cooking and are a great all-purpose bean, perfectly at home in braises as they are in salads, soups and purées. White beans are smaller than cannellini beans, which are longer and kidney-shaped. Cannellini cook to a fluffy texture and are especially popular in Tuscany where the people are known as 'mangia fagioli', or bean eaters, due to the large amounts of beans they consume. Haricot or navy beans make excellent baked beans - most notably as part of the classic French cassoulet.
Part of the kidney bean family, white beans can include haricot, cannellini, lima and butter beans. They need to be soaked prior to cooking and are a great all-purpose bean, perfectly at home in braises as they are in salads, soups and purées. White beans are smaller than cannellini beans, which are longer and kidney-shaped. Cannellini cook to a fluffy texture and are especially popular in Tuscany where the people are known as 'mangia fagioli', or bean eaters, due to the large amounts of beans they consume. Haricot or navy beans make excellent baked beans - most notably as part of the classic French cassoulet.