Tuscan Pasta and Cannellini Bean Soup
Italians love beans. Borlotti and Cannellini beans are prized by the Tuscans, who are probably Italy's greatest bean eaters. Cannellini beans are medium-sized white beans originally from Tuscany and are widely available both canned and dried.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in cold water
- 3 ounces pancetta, minced
- 1.5 cups olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and minced
- 0.5 stalk celery, trimmed and minced
- 5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, trimmed and minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, small
- 3 fresh sage leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ounce angel hair pasta
Instructions
- Drain beans and put into a large heavy pot. Add pancetta, 1 cup of oil, onion, celery, parsley, tomato paste and 7 cups of cold water. Mince 2 cloves of the garlic plus the leaves of 1 sprig of rosemary and add to the pot. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours until beans are very tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining ½ cup of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sage, the remaining garlic, and 1 sprig rosemary. Cook until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Strain oil and reserve flavored oil.
- Transfer half the beans and cooking liquid to a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and puree until smooth. Stir back into pot, and then stir in flavored oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Add pasta to soup and cook, stirring often, until tender, for about 12 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Canned beans may be used to make the soup when dried beans are not available or if you want to speed up the process.
