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1
Pick over the beans, rinse well, place in a bowl, cover with cold water, and let soak for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
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2
Drain the beans and place in a saucepan.
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3
Add water to cover by a few inches, add thyme or a rosemary sprig, and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
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4
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently until the beans are tender, 1 to 2 hours.
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5
The timing will depend on how long the beans were soaked and how long they sat on the shelf.
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6
Just before the beans are ready, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
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7
Add the cavolo nero and parboil for about 5 minutes.
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8
Drain well.
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9
In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
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10
Add the garlic and the cavolo nero and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
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11
Season with salt and pepper, remove the herb sprigs, and discard the garlic.
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12
Keep warm.
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13
When the beans are ready, scoop out and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and then drain the beans.
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14
Season the beans with salt and pepper.
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15
Place the beans in a warmed deep platter with a lip and swirl in the cavolo nero and enough of the reserved cooking water to make the dish juicy.
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16
Drizzle generously with olive oil and pass the cheese at the table.
