When I was younger and working at my first job at the hotel Las Vegas near Venice, the chef in charge of the kitchen had me enter a bean soup contest,” Francesco recalls, “We won it because I used dry pasta not fresh.” Francesco breaks the spaghetti into small pieces by wrapping it first in a napkin, then running the package over the edge of a counter. And he finishes the rustic, traditional pasta and bean soup with hot olive oil infused with herbs and garlic. “That trick is as old as the pyramids,” he says. He also advises preparing the soup the day before it is to be served, for better flavor.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/3 cups (250g) dried borlotti (cranberry) beans
2 ounces (60g) slab bacon, in 1 piece
1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 plum (egg) tomato
5 cups (1.25 L) water
4 ounces (125 g) dry spaghetti
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs each: fresh oregano, rosemary, and thym
Place the beans in a bowl, cover with cold water to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm) and allow to soak for 4 hours or overnight. Drain the beans. Heat the bacon and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the oil in a heavy 4-5 quart (4 to 5 L) saucepan. Add the unpeeled garlic, celery, carrot, onion, and tomato, cook for a few seconds then add the beans and water. Bring to a simmer and cook, partly covered, for about 1 hour, until the beans are tender.
Skim the surface from time to time. While the beans are cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil for the spaghetti. Wrap the spaghetti in a cloth towel or napkin and, holding the ends of the cloth closed, run this “package” of spaghetti over the edge of a counter to break the raw spaghetti into small pieces. Drop the spaghetti into the pot of boiling water and cook it about 8 minutes, then drain it and set side.
When the beans are tender, remove the bacon and the garlic cloves and, using a slotted spoon, remove about half the beans. Puree the remaining bean soup mixture in a blender or a food processor. Add up to a cup of water if the mixture is too thick. Transfer the pureed soup to a saucepan. Add the cooked spaghetti and reserved beans.
Reheat and season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet and add the crushed garlic cloves and the sprigs of oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes, then strain the hot herb oil into the soup. Serve immediately.
RECIPE COURTESY OF FRANCESCO ANTONUCCI
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Filed under: Recipes
