Rita's Creamy Pasta e Fagioli – A Heartwarming Twist on Italian Tradition

Instructions

1. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight with a teaspoon of baking soda (it helps to soften and “degas” them!), then strain and rinse them.

2. In a Belly Soup Pot, simmer the beans for 20 minutes with one onion cut in half, one carrot, one celery stick, and the fresh herbs: bay, rosemary and sage (tie the fresh herbs together with kitchen twine before adding them to the stock: this will make it easier to get them out later!)

3. Peel the potatoes, halve or quarter them, and add to the beans to boil for an additional 15-20 minutes.

4. While the beans and potatoes are cooking, prepare your soffritto. Finely chop the remaining onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta, then add them to a Stockpot with some EVO oil and the garlic clove. Soften on low heat for 5-7 minutes.

5. Remove the garlic, add the tomato paste, and cook for a couple more minutes. If it looks like it’s drying up, add a ladle of stock from the bean pot.

6. Remove and discard the carrot, celery, onion, and herbs from the Belly Soup Pot, then set aside ¼ of the beans.

7. Add all the remaining beans and potatoes to the soffritto, along with enough stock to cover them.

8. Use an immersion blender to puree the beans and potatoes to a thick, creamy consistency, then season to taste with salt and pepper. If it feels too dense, add more stock or water.

9. Add in the remaining whole beans and the pasta, which will cook directly in the bean cream. Depending on your pasta’s cooking time and how much starch it releases, it might thicken the soup, so keep an eye on it and add more stock/water as needed.

10. Serve warm with a swirl of EVO oil and some crusty bread on the side.