Borlotti beans: Borlotti beans, also known as cranberry beans or French horticultural beans, are off-white beans with red markings. When you can find them fresh they come in large beige and red pods with colors that resemble the dried beans. In the shell the borlotti's bright colored pods make a festive table accent. The shell is inedible, but the borlotti beans inside are a culinary treat. Nutty in flavor with a creamy texture, borlotti are popular in Italian and Portuguese cusine.Freshly shelled borlotti need no soaking, as they do when dry. Instead, care must be taken to cook them until they are tender and no more.This is the simplest way to prepare these beans. Cook them as in the previous recipe, making sure they are tender (they firm up a little once cool). Drain them but keep half a cup of their cooking liquid. Place them in a large bowl with the saved cooking liquid and add 6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, a good cup of roughly-chopped flat-leaf parsley, salt and pepper and mix well while they are still hot. Serve them as they are or cool to room temperature.
