Name: Pasta and Bean Soup
Cook time: 1 1/4 hr
Total time: 15 hr
Yield: Makes 4 quarts, serving 8 to 10
Ingredients: 1 1/3 pounds dried cranberry beans; 5 quarts cold water; 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped; 2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped; 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped; 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped; 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped; 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary; 1/4 pound sliced pancetta or bacon, coarsely chopped; 1 tablespoon fine sea salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or to taste; 1/3 pound ditalini or other short tubular pasta; About 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pasta e Fagioli

Venetians prize a soup made thick by using mashed beans. This recipe is based on the preparations at Venice's Fiaschetteria Toscana and Osteria alla Bomba.

A tablespoon of salt may sound like a lot, but it is needed to bring out the beans' flavor.

Cooks' notes:

· This soup is best the day after it's made. Cool it uncovered, before chilling, covered, up to 4 days.
· You can use a blender or food processor instead of a food mill to purée the soup, but pulse briefly. This soup should be textured and thick.
· If you want to make this a vegetarian soup, omit the pancetta and simply reheat the puréed bean mixture with the additional rosemary and other ingredients.

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