Pasta e Fagioli

• 1 x 400gtin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 x 400gtin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
• 1.2litres chicken or vegetable stock
• 200 gditalini or small pasta shells
• 1 x 400gtin chopped tomatoes
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1onion, finely diced
• 3garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 120 gpancetta, diced
• 1parmesan rind
• 40 gparmesan, finely grated (optional)
• Dried chilli flakes, to taste (optional) (optional)

Method

1. 1Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Add the pancetta in a single layer; don't crowd it; and cook for 4–5 minutes until the fat has rendered and the edges are golden and crisp.
2. 2Add the diced onion with a good pinch of salt and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft, translucent and just starting to catch at the edges. The salt now pulls the moisture out and helps the onion melt rather than fry.
3. 3Stir in the sliced garlic, rosemary sprigs and chilli flakes if using. Cook for 30 seconds, no more; just until fragrant and the garlic turns pale gold.
4. 4Pour in the chopped tomatoes along with a ladle of the stock. Cook over a medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring and scraping the fond up off the bottom, until the tomatoes have darkened to a deeper, brick-red shade and smell sweet rather than sharp.
5. 5Add both tins of beans, the parmesan rind, and pour over the rest of the stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then drop to a steady simmer for 15 minutes so the broth takes on real depth from the rind and the beans start giving up their starch.
6. 6Fish out the rosemary sprigs and parmesan rind. Ladle roughly a third of the soup into a bowl, blend or mash it to a rough purée, then stir it back in; this is what gives the broth its creamy, clinging body without any cream.
7. 7Bring the soup back to a steady simmer. Taste the broth and adjust the salt before adding the pasta; the pancetta, stock and rind already bring plenty. Stir in the ditalini and cook to the packet time minus 1 minute, stirring regularly so nothing sticks, until just al dente.
8. 8Pull the pot off the heat and rest for 2 minutes; the pasta keeps drinking liquid as it sits, so don't skip this. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Taste, season with more salt and plenty of black pepper, taste again.
9. 9Ladle into deep bowls and add the optional grated parmesan if using.

Per serving

kcal

581

protein

29.8g

fibre

14.1g

carbs

74.4g

fat

17.9g