Pasta e Fagioli – Borlotti Bean and Vegetable Soup with Pasta, Pancetta and Rosemary Recipe
BORLOTTI BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP WITH PASTA, PANCETTA, AND ROSEMARY
Some of Italy’s most satisfying dishes come out of rural peasant kitchens, where people have had to figure out how to make much from a little. The country’s repertoire of pasta-and-bean soups reflects this resourceful spirit: With provisions from the pantry and a winter vegetable or two, good cooks create sturdy soups that provide enormous pleasure. If you can’t find borlotti beans, also known as cran- berry beans, use cannellini beans.
Serves 6
1½ cups dried borlotti (cranberry) beans, soaked overnight in water to cover
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 ounces pancetta, minced
½ yellow onion, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
2 celery ribs, in ½-inch dice
1 large carrot, in ½-inch dice
¾ pound russet (baking) potato, peeled, in ½-inch dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ pound small soup pasta, such as ditali or tubetti
Preparation instructions:
Drain the beans.
Heat the olive oil and pancetta in a large pot over moderately low heat. Cook until the pancetta renders some of its fat and begins to crisp. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, and sage. Cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the beans, celery, carrot, potato, and 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.
With a slotted spoon, transfer about 4 cups of the beans and vegetables to a food processor, leaving the broth in the pot. Add enough broth to the food processor to make a puree, then process until smooth. Return the puree to the pot. Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the soup to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the pasta, cover, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the pasta is barely al dente. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. Serve in warm bowls, drizzling each portion with extra-virgin olive oil.
Recipe from the “Four Seasons Pasta: A Year of Inspired Recipes in the Italian Tradition” cookbook.