Authentic Neapolitan Pasta e Fagioli
Cucina Povera on a Tuesday: Grandma's Weeknight Survival Guide
Smash a bruised clove, tossing it into a dented aluminum pot until the garlic hisses in the hot oil, then pitch in a supermarket can of cannellini beans to prove this isn't the watery, ground-beef-laden soup you find at suburban chain restaurants. By cooking mixed dry pasta directly in a creamy, pork-laced bean broth, the starches bind everything into a velvety gravy without a drop of dairy, using a quick blender trick to yield a Tuesday night broth thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Drop a leftover Parmigiano rind in and simmer.
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- thick cut pancetta or unsmoked bacon3 oz
- garlic cloves2 large
- celery stalk1 large
- fresh rosemary1 sprig
- crushed red pepper flakes1 pinch
- cannellini or borlotti beans30 oz
- tomato paste2 tbsp
- low sodium chicken broth3 cup
- pasta mista10 oz
- saltto taste
- black pepperto taste
- fresh parsley1 handful
Method
- 01
Render the pancetta and aromatics to build your flavor foundation.
Place a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta, sautéing slowly until the fat renders and the edges crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Toss in the smashed garlic, minced celery, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, cooking until the garlic is deeply fragrant and golden. Remove and discard the garlic and rosemary—they've done their job infusing the oil.
- 02
Toast the tomato paste and build the broth.
Stir the tomato paste into the pork fat, cooking for 1 minute until it turns a rusty red. Pour in both cans of beans along with all of their starchy, viscous liquid, then add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- 03
Puree a portion of the beans to fake a day-long simmer.
To mimic the legendary creaminess of beans that have been stewing for twelve hours, use an immersion blender or a potato masher to roughly puree about a quarter of the beans directly in the pot, leaving the rest whole.
- 04
Cook the pasta directly in the bean broth.
Add the dry pasta mista and a heavy pinch of salt to the boiling broth. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and stir frequently, scraping the bottom so the starches don't stick. As the pasta absorbs the liquid, the broth will transform into a thick, glossy gravy. If it gets too dry before the pasta is done, add a splash of hot water.
- 05
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest untouched.
When the pasta is just shy of al dente, pull the pot off the heat immediately. Stir in the chopped parsley, season aggressively with black pepper and salt, then cover with a lid and walk away for 5 full minutes. This mandatory rest allows the ambient heat to finish cooking the pasta gently while the starches thicken the sauce into its authentic, sticky consistency. Serve in shallow bowls with a heavy drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
Sourcing or making your own pasta mista.
Pasta mista translates to mixed pasta, historically known in Naples as munnezzaglia (scraps). It's crucial for the texture because the varied shapes cook at different rates. If you can't find bagged pasta mista at the store, make your own: place equal parts dry spaghetti, linguine, and penne in a clean kitchen towel and whack them against the counter until broken into 1-inch pieces, then mix in a handful of ditalini.
From Cook Italian in America.