I have to admit that Pasta e Fagioli has never been at the top of my hit list. I love beans. And I LOVE pasta. But the idea putting the two together has always left me a bit… meh. For instance, if it’s ever on a restaurant menu I would never in my life think of ordering it. But it’s the first thing that Domenico goes for.
The thing is, once Domenico does order it, and once I take a taste (as I always do) I think: why didn’t I order that? Because as it turns out I actually love pasta e fagioli. It’s just the idea of it that never excites me.
So when Sophie suggested we add it to our weekly menu this week my first thought was….meh. But when she actually made it I was very glad she did. Because it was amazing!!
Although we had a conference call with my friend Evan the night before about it, Sophie made a few changes to Evan’s recipe. While Evan uses these beans (which are super creamy and – sorry – currently sold out) Sophie used borlotti beans (from our farm share) which not only stayed more intact, but gave the dish that distinctive brown kind of color that we associate with true pasta e fagioli. Also, Sophie added more ingredients to her soup, (carrots and celery) which gave it a sweetness.
Another addition that Sophie made was pork. She added a handful of chopped guanciale and it was an excellent decision. (but if you want to keep it vegetarian just leave it out).
Two things that both Evan and Sophie agreed upon was the shape of the pasta. They both prefer a little curly cue shape. (Sophie used Garofolo’s Mafalda Corta and Evan used Rustichella’s Sagne) . And they both like the pasta e fagioli to be quite thick, and not soupy.
Here is Sophie’s recipe but don’t worry if you don’t have borlotti beans. You can use any beans, but you should definitely start with dried beans since you need the bean broth as the stock. (although here is a recipe from Evan when you want to use canned beans) And by all means use any pasta shape you have! You can even mix and match and use up different shapes, breaking them up into smaller pieces before adding. And if you forgot to soak your beans and want the whole thing to be ready a bit faster, then lentils are your friend.
Pasta e Fagioli
Yield 3
The quantities in this recipe was the perfect amount for 3 people for lunch. We each has one big bowl and were very satisfied. (we also has a salad). If you're making it for 4, you could add another 50 grams of pasta, or start out with a cup and a half of beans.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried beans
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 small onion
- salt
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/3 cup diced guanciale (optional)
- 1/3 cup tomato puree
- 150 grams pasta
Instructions
- Soak the beans for 6 to 12 hours. Drain and put in a pot. Cover by 2 inches of water and add the rosemary and the small onion (peeled and cut in half). Bring to simmer and let cook until very tender. After about a half hour add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Remove about a cup of beans from the pot, puree them, and set aside.
- In the meantime in a large pot pour the olive oil and turn on to medium heat. Add the carrots and the celery and season with salt and pepper. Let cook for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. Then add the garlic and the guanciale, and let cook a few minutes more.
- Now add about a half cup of the beans with the tomato. Let this cook for about 10 minutes until thickened.
- Add the rest of the beans and pasta to the pot (removing the rosemary and onion first). Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Let simmer until the pasta is done.
- The pasta will absorb all of the liquid. If it seems too dry, add a bit more water. But it should be quite thick at the end.
- Add the reserved pureed beans to the post and mix it in.
Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and grated cheese if you’d like.
For more Italian meal inspiration and recipes see my book The Italian Table.
And if you’d like to eat this dish of pasta e fagioli in Italy then join us on one of our Week in Italy tours.
Elizabeth, what’s your favorite brand of dried pasta available here in Italy? I usually buy De Cecco at the grocery store but often see more expensive specialty brands at the panificio, macelleria, or online and never know what to look for. Are there common “luxury” pastas that Italians just know?
My favorite brand of dried pasta is Faella, and I also love Rustichella and Gentile. Martelli is also great.