Milk Street Recipe

Pasta con Fagioli

Name: Pasta con Fagioli
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients: 8 ounces campanelle or other short pasta; Kosher salt and ground black pepper; 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve; 2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes; 1 large red onion, chopped; 1 large fennel bulb, halved, cored and thinly sliced; 4 medium garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 15½-ounce cans Roman beans (see note), drained but not rinsed; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 ounces Pecorino romano cheese, grated (1 cup)

By Diane Unger

Appears in November-December 2018

35 minutes

Free

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We thought this rustic pasta and bean dish from Sicily would feel heavy, but the starches are lightened by tomatoes, rosemary and lemon. We were taught how to make it by Piera Ferruzza, winery cook at Cantina della Val di Suro, and Maria Enza Arena, shopkeeper in the hilltop town of Castelbuono. In Italy, dried borlotti beans (often called cranberry beans in the U.S.) are used. For weeknight ease, we opted for canned beans. Some producers label canned borlotti beans as “Roman beans.” If you cannot find them, use pink or kidney beans, which have a similar creaminess and mildly sweet flavor. Don't use cannellini beans, which are too tender. The pasta is boiled only until very slightly softened, then drained and rinsed to stop the cooking. It finishes cooking when combined with the beans and vegetables.

6

Servings

Tip

Don't rinse the canned beans after draining them; the starchy liquid clinging to them adds body to the sauce.

35 minutes

8 ounces campanelle or other short pasta

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve

2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes

1 large red onion, chopped

1 large fennel bulb, halved, cored and thinly sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 15½-ounce cans Roman beans (see note), drained but not rinsed

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 ounces Pecorino romano cheese, grated (1 cup)

Ingredients

8

ounces campanelle or other short pasta
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
5

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve
2

pints grape or cherry tomatoes
1

large red onion, chopped
1

large fennel bulb, halved, cored and thinly sliced
4

medium garlic cloves, minced
1

tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1

teaspoon fennel seeds
¾

teaspoon red pepper flakes
2

15½-ounce cans Roman beans (see note), drained but not rinsed
2

cups low-sodium chicken broth
2

teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2

ounces Pecorino romano cheese, grated (1 cup)

Directions

01

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1½ teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente. Reserve 2 cups of cooking water, then drain and rinse with cold water until cool; set aside.

See Demo
02

Wipe out the pot and return it medium-high. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil until barely smoking. Add the tomatoes, then cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and have burst, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion, sliced fennel and ¼ teaspoon salt, then cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

See Demo
03

Add the garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds and pepper flakes, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the beans, broth and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

See Demo
04

Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. If needed, add the remaining reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time to reach the proper consistency. Off heat, stir in the lemon zest and juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the cheese and additional oil for drizzling.

Tip: Don't rinse the canned beans after draining them; the starchy liquid clinging to them adds body to the sauce.

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Pasta con Fagioli

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6

Servings

35 minutes

Tip

Don't rinse the canned beans after draining them; the starchy liquid clinging to them adds body to the sauce.

Ingredients

8

ounces campanelle or other short pasta
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
5

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve
2

pints grape or cherry tomatoes
1

large red onion, chopped
1

large fennel bulb, halved, cored and thinly sliced
4

medium garlic cloves, minced
1

tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1

teaspoon fennel seeds
¾

teaspoon red pepper flakes
2

15½-ounce cans Roman beans (see note), drained but not rinsed
2

cups low-sodium chicken broth
2

teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2

ounces Pecorino romano cheese, grated (1 cup)

Cook the pasta

ounces campanelle or other short pasta

tablespoon kosher salt

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1½ teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente. Reserve 2 cups of cooking water, then drain and rinse with cold water until cool; set aside.

Cook the vegetables

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

pints grape or cherry tomatoes

large red onion, chopped

large fennel bulb, halved, cored and thinly sliced

teaspoon kosher salt

Wipe out the pot and return it medium-high. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil until barely smoking. Add the tomatoes, then cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and have burst, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the onion, sliced fennel and ¼ teaspoon salt, then cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Simmer the beans

medium garlic cloves, minced

tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

teaspoon fennel seeds

teaspoon red pepper flakes

15½-ounce cans Roman beans (see note), drained but not rinsed

Add the garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds and pepper flakes, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the beans, broth and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Finish cooking the pasta

teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

ounces Pecorino romano cheese, grated (1 cup)

Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.

If needed, add the remaining reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time to reach the proper consistency.

Off heat, stir in the lemon zest and juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the cheese and additional oil for drizzling.

Best Pasta con Fagioli Recipe - How to Make Pasta con Fagioli

Pasta con Fagioli

This recipe is free until September 7, 2022. Start your 14-day free trial to access every Milk Street recipe. Learn More.

6

35 minutes

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