Italian Pasta e Fagioli

Photo by:

Ed Anderson

Reprinted with permission from The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen by Steve Sando with Julia Newberry, copyright © 2024. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Pasta e Fagioli is one of the world’s great dishes. It was likely born of leftovers, artfully combined by a clever home cook, but now it’s a tradition with many variants and a great way to feed a crowd with a one-pot meal. It needs only a salad to be complete. Both beans and pasta release some starch when cooked, so the idea of adding them together is genius. It’s not necessary to add chicken stock when you have good beans, pasta, aromatics, and a little time. As you prepare the beans, make sure you have plenty of liquid on hand when they are done as this will be the basis for your sauce.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 ounces pancetta, cubed or roughly chopped (optional)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, minced or sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 cups bean broth (if you have less than 4 cups, make up the difference with another broth)
1 sprig rosemary
Surya Salt
Freshly ground Aranya Black Pepper
8 ounces good-quality pasta (small tubular or shell shapes work well)
3 cups cooked, drained Rancho Gordo Cranberry or Borlotti Lamon beans, or white beans, such as Royal Corona or Marcella, bean broth reserved
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
Grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese for serving
Lemon wedges for serving

Methods

In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over mediumheat. Cook the pancetta (if using), stirring often, until fragrant and chewy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper towel and set aside. If needed, add more olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the celery and carrot are soft and the onion is turning golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes until the paste is heated through and the tomato flavor is intensified.
Add the bean broth, rosemary sprig, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently until the liquid starts to reduce, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large stockpot in salted water according to package directions. Drain.
Add the drained pasta, beans, and reserved pancetta (if using) to the vegetable mixture, stir well, and gently cook for a few minutes to marry the flavors. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig.
Serve immediately with a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of parsley (if desired). Pass around a bowl of grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges for guests to help themselves