Fresh Appetizers and Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried cannellini beans
• Slice of onion
• ½ small carrot
• ½ stalk celery
• Bay leaf
• Fine sea salt
• 2 cups fresh pumpkin cut into 1 inch dice
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 3 Tbs California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbs California Olive Ranch Olio Nuovo EVOO for drizzling

Directions

1. The evening before you plan to make the dish, put the beans in a bowl, add cold water to cover them by 3 inches, and leave at room temperature overnight.
2. The next day, drain beans, put them in a med saucepan, covered with 2 inches of water.  Bring to a simmer.  Skim off the foam that rises to the top and add the onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf.  
3. Simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.  Salt the cooking liquid to taste, at least 1 teaspoon.
4. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Just before cooking pumpkin, drain beans and put into a bowl.
5. Toss pumpkin cubes with Aleppo pepper, salt, and 1 Tbs of EVOO.
6. Heat remaining 2 Tbs of EVOO into a large skillet until it trembles, becomes aromatic and easily coats bottom of skillet.  Add pumpkin and sauté, turning frequently, until all sides are browned and cubes are tender, about 5 mins.
7. Mix pumpkin with the beans. Season with pepper. Drizzle Olio Nuovo over the top before serving.