Borlotti bean and pasta soup
This type of rustic soup, often topped with shreds of the region’s famous radicchio, is popular in the Veneto region of Italy in winter. An example of cucina povera, literally the ‘cooking of the poor’, it speaks to a frugal approach and using what you’ve damned well got on hand. Maximum nourishment for minimum investment, in other words. And dried beans, carrots, onion, tomato paste and pasta are certainly cheap and so is rosemary if you either grow it yourself or pinch it from a nearby source (sshhhh).
We acknowledge that pancetta is not inexpensive though, and you could use bacon instead. We always make our own chicken stock and reckon it’s overall cheaper than buying it; just buy chicken frames from a chicken shop, heave them in a large pot with chopped celery, onion and carrot, add cold water to cover, bring to a simmer, then simmer for 2 hours, skimming off the foam and fat that rises to the top. Strain, let any remaining fat rise to the surface, skim that off, then you are good to go. Make a big batch of stock, freeze the extras, and you’ll maximise your time. Homemade chicken stock tastes so much better than purchased, and has real body thanks to all the connective tissues in the bones, which melt down to give your stock some lovely, silky texture.
SERVES 4
375g dried borlotti beans
2½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling
100g pancetta, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped
1 fresh bayleaf (optional)
2 sprigs rosemary
2½ tbsp tomato paste
1.125ml (4½ cups) chicken stock, approximately
250ml (1 cup) passata
150g (about 1/2 cup) small dried pasta*
dried chilli flakes and chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
Soak the borlotti beans overnight in plenty of cold water to cover. Drain, then transfer to a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the beans are tender.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the pancetta, then cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes until the pancetta has rendered its fat. Add the onion, then cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, bayleaf, if using, and rosemary, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the tomato paste, stir for 1 minute to cook it out a little, then add the chicken stock and passata.
Reserve 1½ cups of the cooked borlotti beans, then add the remaining beans to the soup. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are all very tender and the flavour has developed a bit. Fish out the whole herbs then, using an immersion blender or food processor, blitz the soup until it is smooth. Add the reserved beans, season the soup with salt and pepper, then reheat. Add a little extra chicken stock to thin the soup, if necessary.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to packet directions until al dente. Drain well, then add to the soup.
Divide the soup among large bowls, scatter with dried chilli flakes and chopped parsley to taste, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then serve.
*I used mezze penne rigate from the brand Pasta Jesce, but use whatever you can get or that you like
