Creamy Butter Beans
with Pancetta, Burrata & Pistachios.
This dish takes inspiration from a classic combination you often see in Puglia: creamy stracciatella paired with pistachios and cured pork. Burrata works beautifully here and is much easier to find in the UK, delivering the same rich, milky centre once broken open. Pancetta stands in for capocollo from Martina Franca, bringing savoury depth that balances the sweet courgette and buttery beans. The result is a warm, spoonable dish that feels both simple and indulgent.
Serves 2
Tips & Tricks:
Room-temperature burrata: Take it out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before serving so the centre is properly creamy.
Beans: It’s no secret that I love the Bold Bean Co Queen Butter Beans and, as the beans are the star of the show in this dish, it makes sense to buy the good ones. You could use tinned butter beans but know that they are much firmer so you may want to cook them down for a bit longer. The liquid in the jar helps create a silky sauce so don’t throw it away.
Ingredients.
100g pancetta
1 courgette
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
570g jar Bold Bean Co butter beans, with their liquid
20g / 2 tbsp pistachios, shelled
1 burrata
Equipment.
sauté/deep frying pan
small frying pan
sharp knife & chopping board
Method.
Place a dry frying pan over medium heat and add the pancetta. Cook until the fat renders and the pieces become golden and crisp.
Meanwhile, slice the courgette into thin half-moons and finely chop the garlic.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the courgette to the pancetta fat with the olive oil. Cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened, caramelised and beginning to collapse.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the butter beans along with their liquid and stir to combine. Let everything simmer gently for a few minutes until warmed through and slightly creamy. Add a splash of water if the mixture looks too thick. Season with black pepper and salt if needed.
Meanwhile, toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, then roughly chop.
Spoon the warm beans into bowls. Tear the burrata over the top so the creamy centre spills into the beans. Scatter over the toasted pistachios and serve immediately.
