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1
Each bean should be in its own pot.
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2
Cover the cannellini and the favas with cold water, adding 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt and a branch of sage to each, and bring to a simmer.
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3
Cover the pots and permit the beans to soften for 1 hour.
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4
Drain the beans, again, each in their own pot, cover them anew with cold water, add another tablespoon of coarse sea salt to each pot and bring the beans to a simmer, poaching them until they are very tender and collapsing.
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5
Drain the beans, reserving a cup of their cooking liquids, combine them and set them aside.
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6
While the beans are cooking, you can attend to the oil that will eventually perfume them.
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7
In a small saucepan over a medium flame, warm 1/2 cup of the olive oil, adding the sage leaves, minced garlic, chile, 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, and fennel, rolling the components about for a minute, taking care that the garlic does not color.
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8
Set the perfumed oil aside.
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9
In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the beans, in batches if necessary, adding a few tablespoonfuls of the cooking liquids to form a thick, smooth paste.
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10
Turn the paste out into a large bowl.
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11
With a wooden spoon, vigorously beat the perfumed oil into the paste, glossing and scenting it.
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12
Last, beat in the cream and the vinegar.
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13
Cover the paste with plastic wrap and chill it for several hours or overnight.
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14
Wash and trim the rape and place them in a pot, covering them with cold water, adding 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt and poaching them for 3 minutes.
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15
Drain the rape very well, transferring them to absorbent paper towels.
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16
When the rape are cooled a bit, squeeze each piece, extracting as much water as you can before chopping them coarsely and setting them aside.
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17
Just before serving n Capriata, warm 1/3 cup of the oil over a lively flame in a saute pan and saute the crushed garlic, scenting the oil.
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18
Remove the garlic and discard it, add the rape and roll it about in the oil for a minute or two.
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19
In another saute pan over a lively flame, heat the final dose, 1/2 cup, of oil and quickly saute the bread on each side, giving it a good crust but leaving its interior crumb soft.
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20
To present the dish, place two trenchers of the hot bread on a plate with some of the warm sauteed greens and then top the whole with generous spoonfuls of the chilled bean paste.
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21
In part, it is the play of the hot, crisp bread against the cold, smooth, lusciously perfumed puree, each of them relieved, fused, by the bitter greens between them, that makes the dish spectacular.
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22
More, though, I think it is so good for its unexpectedness.
