Borlotti bean

Borlotti beans are the seeds of a bush or climbing variety of the common bean, borne in pods that are streaked with crimson when fresh. The seeds are large, oval and creamy-pink, marbled with splashes of wine red, and the colour fades when cooked.

They have a creamy, tender texture and a sweet, slightly nutty flavour, often compared to chestnuts, and they hold their shape well in cooking.

Borlotti beans are sold fresh in their pods in summer, and dried or canned throughout the year. Related varieties include the cranberry bean in North America, and the Romano bean.

Like all common beans, borlotti are descended from the Phaseolus vulgaris that was domesticated in the Americas, with Mesoamerican and Andean origins. Beans were brought to Europe following the Spanish and Portuguese voyages in the 16th century.

The borlotti type is thought to have been developed in Italy, where it became established in the north, in regions such as Veneto and Lombardy.

The Italian name borlotto is of uncertain origin, and in English the same type is called cranberry bean because of its red markings, and in some places the Roman bean.

New World beans arrived in Italy in the early 1500s and are said to have been presented to Pope Clement VII, who was said to have given them to the French court, and Italy was one of the first European countries to take to them eagerly. Their cultivation spread from the nobles' gardens into peasant farming, and beans became a staple in the north of Italy.

Borlotti took root in Veneto's cuisine, with dishes such as pasta e fagioli, a dish of beans and pasta, and in Lombardy and Friuli, and are eaten in minestrone and beans with sage and olive oil. Regional varieties include the Lamon bean from Belluno in Veneto, a protected geographical indication.

In Britain and North America, the cranberry type was grown in kitchen gardens, and fresh shell beans are seasonal items at farmers' markets.

The bean also appears under Portuguese and Greek names, and in Greek cooking it is made into fassolada, a bean soup.

Borlotti beans are simmered in soups such as pasta e fagioli and minestrone, stewed with tomato, sage and garlic, or served as a cold salad dressed with olive oil, tuna and onion. They are also puréed into spreads and dips.

Fresh shelled borlotti cook in about half an hour and need no soaking, while dried beans need soaking and about an hour or more of simmering.

They make a good alternative to kidney beans in chilli, and the cooked beans can be used in veggie burgers.

Borlotti beans are a rich source of fibre, plant protein, folate, iron and magnesium, and they have a relatively low glycaemic response. In keeping with other pulses, regular intake is linked with lower cholesterol and better blood sugar management in population research.

Specific studies on borlotti are few, so general legume research is the best guide.