Fitze beans

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g beans (salted beans)
• 2 onions (chopped)
• 100 g bacon (marbled, diced)
• 1,250 g potatoes
• pepper
• smoked salt
• butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Total time approx. 1 day 20 minutes

Stew with salted beans from grandma’s time

Cook the beans in half a liter of water for about 15 minutes until soft. Pour the beans through a sieve, reserving the cooking water. Peel, wash, and halve the potatoes. Melt the butter in a large pot and fry the onions and bacon until golden brown. Add the potatoes and just enough water to cover the potatoes. Season with pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook in a covered pot for about 20 minutes. Mash the potatoes with a masher. Add the drained beans and 6 tablespoons of the bean cooking water. Stir well and season with smoked salt. The stew should be prepared the day before consumption, as it needs to infuse well. The bean cooking water should be saved. The next day, slowly heat the stew, adding a little water (it will be very thick). The stew will have a tart taste. If it’s not tart enough, you can add a little more of the bean cooking water. Season to taste with smoked salt, if desired. Bockwurst or smoked mettenden are excellent side dishes. Unfortunately, I don’t know where the stew got its name. It’s always been called that in our house.