
Yields:
12
Simple and satisfying, hearty pasta and white beans get a bit of oomph from bacon, tomato, and classic Italian seasonings.
Excerpted from Lidia's Favorite Recipes by Lidia Bastianich. Copyright © 2012 by Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried cannellini (white kidney) beans
- 6 qt. water
- 3 large Idaho potatoes
- 3 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 12 slice bacon
- 4 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
- salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. ditalini
- Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
- Step 1Cold-soak the beans in advance: Dump them into a 2-to-3-quart container, and pour in enough cold water to cover them by at least 4 inches. Let soak in a cool place at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain well.
- Step 2Pour the 6 quarts water into a tall, large (at least 10-quart) pot. Add the drained beans, potatoes, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Let cook while preparing the sautéed vegetables.
- Step 3Process the bacon and garlic to a paste in a food processor, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then scrape in the bacon-garlic paste and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Step 4Pour two ladlefuls of the bean-cooking water into the skillet and bring to a boil, then pour the contents of the skillet back into the soup pot. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and bring to a slow boil. Cook until the beans are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 5Ladle about one-third of the beans, along with enough cooking liquid to cover them, into a baking dish or other shallow container where they will cool quickly. Let the beans sit until no longer steaming. (Wait until the beans cool completely before blending or processing; hot beans can cause splatters. If you must, you can stir the beans a bit to speed up the cooling process.) Process the beans and liquid in a food processor or blender until creamy. Return the puréed beans to the pot.
- Step 6Fish out the potatoes to a plate, mash them coarsely with a fork, and return them to the pot. Cook the soup another 10 minutes to give the flavors a chance to blend. Let the soup rest off the heat, covered, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Step 7While the soup is resting, cook the ditalini or elbow pasta in salted water until very al dente. Drain thoroughly, and stir into the soup. Let all rest for 5 minutes, then serve in warm soup bowls, with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Looking for more dinner options? Check out our pork chop recipes, chicken recipes, and potato recipes.
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