Beans with Cotechino

Description

 * 4 servings

Ingredients

 * 1 cotechino (a thick sausage made from pork meat and rind and fat bacon) weighing about 500 g [1 lb]
 * 200 g [7 oz] beans already soaked
 * 20 g [3/4 oz] butter
 * 2 tbsp olive oil
 * 1 onion
 * salt
 * freshly ground pepper

Directions

 * 1) Wash the cotechino, prick the skin with a fork and put it to cook for 3 hours over a low heat in a pan filled with cold, unsalted water.
 * 2) After it has been cooking for 1 hour, put the beans in abundant water in a separate pan and set to cook for 3 hours.
 * 3) One hour before they are ready, gently fry the sliced onion in oil and butter, and after about 4 minutes, when it is lightly browned, add it to the beans, season with salt and pepper and stir well.
 * 4) Take the cotechino out of the cooking liquor, which should then be degreased and added to the beans, a little at a time as needed, without stirring it in.
 * 5) When the beans are cooked, add the cotechino, skinned and cut into slices, and leave for 5 minutes to absorb the flavour, then serve.