Cannellini di San Ginese e Sant’Alessio are kidney-shaped, thin-skinned white beans that grow in the area surrounding Lucca. They have a delicate, sweet flavor and a firm consistency.
They are eaten in soups, such as minestrone, and salads, such as tonno e fagioli (canned tuna and beans), and are served with roasted meats, such as arista alla fiorentina, a Florentine pork dish that consists of a roast pork loin that is imbued with an aromatic paste of garlic, sage, rosemary, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.