Pasta e Fagioli alla Veneziana

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A classic example of regional Italian cuisine. We include instructions for making it with dried or canned beans.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pound dried beans
• 2 onions, 1 halved and 1 chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 potato, cubed
• Fresh sage and/or rosemary, if available
• 1/2 glass white wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can DeLallo Imported Italian Diced Tomatoes
• 8 ounces DeLallo Ditalini Rigati
• Salt and pepper
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Directions:

Rinse and soak dried beans in a large bowl of water overnight. The next day, drain and rinse again, then transfer to a big pot and add enough cold, unsalted water to cover the beans by 3 to 4 inches. Add one onion, cut in half, one or two bay leaves, and a couple of cloves, if you have them on hand, and bring to a boil. Cook briskly for 10 minutes, removing the foam that comes to the top. Reduce the heat and cook them gently, uncovered until they are tender; usually for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

In a large saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil on a medium flame; sauté 1 onion, carrot and celery, until vegetables begin to brown.

Add half of the drained, previously cooked beans to the saucepan, maintaining a low heat on the remaining beans. Add a generous amount of salt, pepper, and the cubed potato to the saucepan, and cook on a high flame. Add the white wine, a bit of rosemary and/or sage. Allow liquid to reduce. Next, add the canned peeled tomatoes and stir continuously, introducing some of the bean broth, if needed.

Purée or mash the remaining half of the beans and broth in the big pot, which should be kept very hot. When the potatoes are tender, pour the contents of your large saucepan into the pot.
Deglaze the pan with some water and add it to the soup, then cook for another few minutes. The soup should be thick, but be sure there is enough liquid so that when you add the pasta (which absorbs water) the soup will not become too dense.

Add the ditalini pasta to the boiling soup. Keep the flame very low. 

When you are ready to serve the soup, add fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh black pepper, if desired. Top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

A note about the cheeses: Pecorino cheese traditionally is never served with this soup. Many "purists" don't like any cheese with this soup at all.

A helpful tip: In my family and in thousands of others, there is a great way to use the rinds of Parmigiano that are left over after grating - first rinse the rinds under running water, gently scraping them with a knife. Then soak them for a few minutes in water to soften. When softened, cut them into little pieces and add them to the soup together with the pasta, remembering to stir thoroughly. They are absolutely delicious and add a wonderful texture to soup.

Refrigeration and/or freezing soup: The excess soup tastes even better the day after, and will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Also, homemade soups taste just as good if you freeze them, though best if frozen without the pasta.

Pasta e fagioli with canned beans

Substitute dried beans with 4, 14-ounce, cans of borlotti beans. Add to sautéing vegetables, as is.

Serves 4 to 6 Send to friend Printer-friendly version