Busters Recipes

Pasta and Bean Soup


1 1/3 pounds dried cranberry beans
5 quarts cold water
2 medium onions -- coarsely chopped
2 medium boiling potatoes
--peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large carrot -- coarsely chopped
1 celery rib -- coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes
--seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 pound sliced pancetta or bacon -- coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper -- or to taste
1/3 pound ditalini or other short tubular pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil -- About

Combine beans and water in an 8-quart heavy pot and soak, covered, 12 hours.

Add vegetables and 1 tablespoon rosemary to pot and simmer, covered, until beans
are tender, about 2 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, set aside 1 heaping cup bean mixture, then reserve 2 cups
cooking liquid separately. Force remaining soup through a food mill into a very
large bowl.

Cook pancetta in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring, until it begins to
render its fat. Add remaining Ç tablespoon rosemary and cook, stirring, 15
seconds. Stir in purÇed soup, reserved whole beans, salt, and pepper and bring
to a simmer, stirring frequently and scraping bottom with a wooden spatula to
keep soup from sticking to pot (thin with some of reserved bean liquid if
necessary). Add pasta and simmer, stirring frequently, until pasta is cooked,
about 12 minutes.

Serve soup drizzled with olive oil.

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