Pasta and Beans: Pasta e Fagioli
I could live on this recipe -- a quick version of my Gran'pa Emmanuel's masterwork.
Equipment
- 1 Deep Pot For cooking the soup
- 1 Chef's knife For chopping vegetables and pancetta
- 1 Cutting Board For preparing ingredients safely
- 1 Wooden Spoon For stirring and scraping the pot
- 1 Ladle For serving the soup
Ingredients
Main
- 2 tablespoons 2 turns around the pan extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8 pound about 3 slices pancetta, chopped
- Two 4 to 6-inch sprigs rosemary left intact
- One 4 to 6-inch sprig thyme with several sprigs on it left intact
- 1 large fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 small carrot finely chopped
- 1 rib celery finely chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic chopped
- Coarse salt and pepper
- Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans
- 1 cup canned tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups ditalini
- Grated Parmigiano or Romano for the table
- Crusty bread for mopping
Instructions
- Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits lightly, and add herb stems, bay leaf, chopped vegetables, and garlic. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and stock to pot and raise heat to high. Bring soup to a rapid boil and add pasta. Reduce heat to medium and cook soup, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. Rosemary and thyme leaves will separate from stems as soup cooks. Remove herb stems and bay leaf from soup and place pot on table on a trivet. Let soup rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of grated cheese. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.
Notes
To achieve a rich base, render the pancetta slowly until crisp, allowing its fat to flavor the oil before adding aromatics. Ensure vegetables are finely chopped for a smoother, more integrated texture in the soup. When adding herbs, leaving them on the stem makes for easy removal later. Cook the ditalini directly in the soup, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, and aim for an al dente texture; the pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it rests, thickening the soup. If the soup becomes too thick, a splash of hot water or stock can be added to adjust consistency before serving. A brief rest after cooking allows flavors to meld and the pasta to fully hydrate, enhancing the overall experience.