The name “Farinata” usually applies to a savory Italian pancake, made from a batter using chickpea flour; but, in Tuscany, the name applies to a thick soup, something like minestrone, that’s thickened with cornmeal or polenta. Angelo Pellegrini used to make this soup for his family. His granddaughter Sarah Owens promises to show me a video of him making it with her. After I watch the video and get a cooking lesson, I’ll post a more authentic version. This one is my adaptation of one published by Nancy Harmon Jenkins in FLAVORS OF TUSCANY.
(Makes about 6 cups)
1 cup cannellini beans
3 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 leeks
1 bunch (about a pound) Cavalo Nero (black leaf kale)
12 fresh sage leaves, cut into fine ribbons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in their juice
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal or polenta
Salt and pepper to taste

1.) In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the beans and water to a boil with the salt and bay leaf. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and allow the beans to stand for one hour for a quick soak. Turn the heat back on and simmer the beans until they are tender, about 90 minutes.
2.) While the beans are cooking, cook the pancetta in the olive oil in a soup pot over medium low heat until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is browned and crisp.
3.) While the pancetta is bubbling in the olive oil, split the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse them under running water to remove any soil trapped between the leaves, then slice them into thin half moons. Rinse the kale leaves, roll them lengthwise into a bundle and cut them crosswise into thin strips. Saute the leeks and kale in the olive oil and pancetta until the greens are tender, stir in the sage and garlic, the tomatoes and the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the soup, reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer for about a half an hour.
4.) Slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, and continue stirring until the cornmeal is tender, about 10 minutes. If the soup is too thick, stir in a little water or more chicken broth to thin it out.
5.) When the beans are tender, stir them along with their cooking liquid into the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.