Bartolini Borlotti Beans

Name: Bartolini Borlotti Beans
Brand: SPECIALITY FINE FOOD TRADERS
SKU: BAR126
Price: 6.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

£6.00

Net: 500g Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Premium dried borlotti beans from Emilia-Romagna — distinctive speckled crimson and cream skins with a rich, nutty flavour and creamy interior. Dense in protein and fibre, they hold their shape perfectly when cooked.

£6.00

Borlotti — also known as cranberry beans — are one of the most recognisable pulses in Italian cooking, instantly identifiable by their speckled crimson and cream skins. These are grown by the Bartolini family in Emilia-Romagna using traditional farming methods that prioritise flavour and quality over yield. The beans are denser and nuttier than cannellini, with a creamier, more starchy interior that breaks down slightly during cooking to thicken the surrounding liquid — which is exactly why they are the bean of choice for Italy's most celebrated soups.

Borlotti are the traditional base for pasta e fagioli and minestrone, where their starchy quality gives the broth a natural body and richness without the need for added thickeners. They also work well in slow-cooked stews, braised dishes, and anywhere a bean with genuine substance and flavour is needed. Served warm as a side dish — dressed with olive oil, fresh herbs, and cracked black pepper — they have a depth and character that lighter beans like cannellini cannot match. The creamy texture also makes them well suited to purées and bean-based spreads, and their earthy, nutty flavour pairs particularly well with pork, sausage, and pancetta.

Producer: The Bartolini family has been cultivating legumes in Emilia-Romagna for three generations, maintaining traditional farming methods that prioritise flavour and quality over yield.

Storage: Ambient. Store in a cool, dry place.

Net: 500g

Dried borlotti beans require soaking before cooking.

Soak overnight in plenty of cold water — the beans will roughly double in size, so use a large bowl with at least twice their volume in water. A minimum of 8 hours is ideal; 12 hours is better.

Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place in a large pan and cover with fresh cold water. Do not add salt at this stage — salt toughens the skins during cooking.

Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 40–50 minutes until the beans are tender but still holding their shape. Taste from 35 minutes onwards — borlotti cook a little faster than cannellini.

Season with salt only once the beans are fully cooked and tender.

For pasta e fagioli, cook the beans until just tender, then add to a base of softened onion, garlic, celery, and tinned tomatoes with short pasta. Simmer gently until the pasta is cooked and the broth has thickened naturally from the starch in the beans.

For minestrone, add the cooked beans in the final 15–20 minutes of simmering alongside seasonal vegetables and a Parmesan rind for added depth.

For a simple side dish, drain the warm beans and dress immediately with extra virgin olive oil, fresh rosemary or sage, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. A few pieces of crispy pancetta or guanciale scattered over the top makes this a substantial accompaniment to grilled meats.

Cooked beans can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for later use.

Order Cut-Off Times & Delivery Date Selection

Orders placed before 2 PM (Monday to Friday) are dispatched the same day, unless you select a future delivery date at checkout.

Our Delivery Service

We use reliable third-party express courier services and high-quality insulated packaging. While our couriers are generally excellent, occasional delays can happen. We pack everything to stay fresh, even if transit takes a little longer.

Time-Sensitive & Event Orders

Can we guarantee delivery on a specific day? Unfortunately not - we rely on third-party couriers and can't control their schedules. All items leave us in perfect condition with good use-by dates, but final timing depends on the courier.

If your order is for a specific event, let us know in the notes section at checkout. We can often dispatch a day earlier to give you the best chance of timely arrival.

DELIVERY Changes After Dispatch

Once dispatched, your package is with the courier and we're unable to redirect it or change delivery details.

Saturday Delivery

Saturday delivery is available, though please note our couriers don't operate phone support at weekends and our office is closed. For event-critical orders, a weekday delivery gives us more flexibility to help if any issues arise.

Full delivery details and shipping rates: here

Description

Borlotti — also known as cranberry beans — are one of the most recognisable pulses in Italian cooking, instantly identifiable by their speckled crimson and cream skins. These are grown by the Bartolini family in Emilia-Romagna using traditional farming methods that prioritise flavour and quality over yield. The beans are denser and nuttier than cannellini, with a creamier, more starchy interior that breaks down slightly during cooking to thicken the surrounding liquid — which is exactly why they are the bean of choice for Italy's most celebrated soups.

Borlotti are the traditional base for pasta e fagioli and minestrone, where their starchy quality gives the broth a natural body and richness without the need for added thickeners. They also work well in slow-cooked stews, braised dishes, and anywhere a bean with genuine substance and flavour is needed. Served warm as a side dish — dressed with olive oil, fresh herbs, and cracked black pepper — they have a depth and character that lighter beans like cannellini cannot match. The creamy texture also makes them well suited to purées and bean-based spreads, and their earthy, nutty flavour pairs particularly well with pork, sausage, and pancetta.

Producer: The Bartolini family has been cultivating legumes in Emilia-Romagna for three generations, maintaining traditional farming methods that prioritise flavour and quality over yield.

Storage: Ambient. Store in a cool, dry place.

Net: 500g

Preparation / Cooking