This Italian recipe is a true example of comfort food at its finest. It is warm and perfectly satiating, and full of rich flavors but isn't too heavy, either. And besides, who doesn't love pasta!?
Pasta e Fagioli with Cranberry Beans Recipe:
Adapted from Rancho Gordo Beans
- 3 cups cooked Cranberry Beans
- 4 cups bean broth from the cooked beans (If you don't have enough, make up the difference with chicken or vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons Wild Groves Olio Nuovo
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, minced or sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 1 pound shell or rigatoni pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
- Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Instructions:
- As you prepare the beans, make sure you save plenty of liquid as this will be the base of your sauce.
- While the beans are cooking, prepare your tomato and vegetable mixture. In a medium-sized pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is browning. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes until the paste is heated through.
- Add the bean broth and rosemary sprig and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking on a gentle simmer for 15 minutes or so. The liquid should start to reduce.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot in salted water according to package directions and then drain.
- Add the drained pasta and beans to the soffritto mixture, mix well, and gently cook for a few minutes to marry the various flavors.
- Serve immediately with a drizzle of Olio Nuovo, a sprinkle of parsley, and grated pecorino cheese if desired.
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