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The cultivation of “gialèt” beans in Val Belluna has been recorded since the beginning of the XX century and is among the most valuable varieties grown in this area; this territory is, in fact, considered the very cradle of Italian beans. It was actually the humanist theologist Giovanni Pierio Valeriano from Belluno (a scholar at the papal court between 1400 and 1500) who brought back some seeds from South America and donated them to Pope Clement VII, while seriously starting their cultivation. Since 1530, beans have spread throughout Italy, while the “gialèt” variety was originally cultivated for wealthy customers only – several traders from Padua, Verona, and Bologna used to sell these very beans to the Vatican.

This variety of beans comes with deep yellow round seeds, with greenish features. The beans are very soft and after soaking (which should last no less than 12 hours) and cooking (for at least 40 minutes), it triples its size. Cultivation is still done manually: sowing takes place in May, the seedlings grow supported on wooden poles or on the corn stalks (as it happened in the past), and then beans are harvested in September.
Since they used to be vegetables for the wealthy and the nobles, no peasant recipes have ever been recorded. Thanks to the delicate flavour, “gialèt” beans are excellent in barley soups or simply boiled with just a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, and a little onion.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)