Ever wonder why Tuscans are called "mangia-fagioli"?

These small Organic white beans hold the answer.

These small white beans are similar to navy beans, but our dried cannellini beans have the faint flavor of roasted chestnuts. They are often used in Tuscan cooking -- most notably in Fagioli all'Uccelletto, where boiled cannellini beans are sauteed in olive oil, sage and tomatoes -- the way small birds (uccelli) are prepared in this part of Italy. Cannellini beans are rarely eaten fresh, as they are easier to harvest when the pods are dry.

Special instructions: Beans should be soaked overnight or boiled for at least two hours before adding to a recipe. Do not add salt to these beans until they are finished cooking; salt hardens the skin. Keep in mind that beans usually double in volume after they've been soaked.

Gianluca's Borlotti three-bean Tuscan salad recipe is a must for summer's al fresco dining.