Name: Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: salt and pepper; 150 g tubetti pasta; 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 rosemary sprig; 300 g fresh borlotti beans, or 200 g dried beans soaked in cold water overnight and drained; 1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste; 1 onion, finely chopped; 6 tbsp olive oil; 2 basil leaves; 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock; 1 red chilli, chopped (optional)

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Antonio Carluccio – The Collection

By Antonio Carluccio

Published 2012

About

“There exist as many recipes for this pasta and bean soup as there are Italian regions. This one, made with borlotti beans, is typical of the Veneto and the north east of Italy.”

Ingredients

300 g fresh borlotti beans, or 200 g dried beans soaked in cold water overnight and drained

Method

Put the beans into a heatproof earthenware pot or large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook gently, allowing 1 hour if using fresh beans, or 1½-2 hours if using dried. Don’t salt the water or the skins will remain tough. When soft, drain and purée half of the beans in a blender or food processor, then mix together with the whole beans.

Heat the olive oil in a sauce