“A Farm style pasta combining beans and pancetta”

  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
  • 140 g pancetta dolce cubetti (or 5 slices of pancetta)
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 800 g (2 cans) tomato polpa or whole tomatoes in a can
  • 400 g (1 can) cannellini beans, drained (borlotti or pinto beans can also be used)
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 450 g Tortiglioni or other pasta
  • freshly grated parmesan

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.  Add the onion, carrot and celery, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften.  Add the pancetta and cook over medium-high heat until it gives off its fat.  Add the garlic and cook until it smells and looks like it has infused with the sauce.  Put the tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until it is a thick puree (careful not to liquidize it into a watery consistency) add to the sauce, and cook until the sauce thickens.  Add the beans and cook until the sauce continues to thicken, stirring being careful to not break up the beans.  Add salt and pepper.  Cook the pasta to packet directions and mix into the sauce once ready.  Serve with Parmesan at the table to be added to taste.

Source : Based on ‘Thin Rigatoni with Italian Bacon and Borlotti Beans’ from ‘Pasta Fresca’ by Viana La Place and Evan Kleiman aka. ‘Gnocchetti Rigati con Pancetta e Fagioli Borlotti’

Servings/Yield : 4-6 servings

Rating : 3 out of 5 I didn’t enjoy this sauce, however the wife loved it.

Difficulty : Easy

Cuisine : European : Mediterranean : Italian

Course : Main

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