White Beans Pancetta And Pasta Recipes

PASTA WITH CREAMY WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season well with salt. Add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than indicated in the package directions, about 7 minutes. Drain well reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the oil, carrot and onion to the skillet. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and thyme and cook another minute. Stir in the drained beans and chicken broth. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use the back of a spoon to gently mash some of the beans. Set aside.
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the pasta and toss to coat well. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and add the 1/2 cup pasta water as needed to maintain a creamy, broth-like sauce. Sprinkle in the spinach and cook until wilted.

ITALIAN WHITE BEAN AND PANCETTA SOUP

Steps:

• In an 8-quart pot, saute pancetta in the olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add onion and celery; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sage, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Pour in the chicken stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Stir in the drained beans, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in 4 quarts boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to the soup.
• Stir in minced parsley before serving, and sprinkle with grated cheese.

WHITE BEANS, PANCETTA, AND PASTA

Steps:

• Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and the pancetta. Cook the pancetta for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and herb sprigs. Add the vegetables as you chop: carrots, onions, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the carrots begin to soften, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any good bits. Wilt in the greens and escarole in bunches. Add the beans, tomatoes, and stock and place a lid on the pot, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until cooked al dente. Serve the very thick soup in shallow bowls with lots of cheese.

WHITE BEAN AND PANCETTA SOUP

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat oil until it shimmers. Add pancetta and saute until browned. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and transfer directly to a crockpot.
• Saute onion, celery, carrot and garlic until soft and onion is translucent. Transfer vegetables to crockpot and deglaze skillet with white wine. Pour wine into crockpot. Add herbs, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and beans. Cook on low 4-6 hours, or on high 2-3 hours. Puree about 1/3 of the soup in a blender then return it to the pot, or run an immersion blender in the soup until the desired thickness is achieved.
• Add escarole and pasta and cook another 30-40 minutes on high (if you have been cooking on low up to this point, be sure to turn it up), until pasta is al dente. Stir in parsley at the last minute.

PENNE WITH PAN-ROASTED TOMATOES AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and return it to the pot.
• Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half, scrape the seeds out of each half with a small tool or your finger, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Peel the garlic and leave the cloves whole. Coarsely chop the basil leaves.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the garlic is soft. Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside. Put the beans in a strainer and rinse under running water. Drain the beans and add them to the pan, then remove the pan from the heat. Smash the garlic with a fork and add it to the drained pasta. Add the tomatoes and basil, stir well, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the pasta into a large serving bowl, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.
• Basil is native to India, though it's since become integral to the cooking of countries as far a field as Italy and Thailand. When it migrated to Italy, it became a symbol of love, with young women wearing sprigs in their hair to encourage their suitors.

PASTA WITH SPINACH, BEANS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Bean sauce -- In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and saute the pancetta until lightly brown. Then add the onion, red pepper flakes and continue cooking until the onion is slightly soft and translucent. Then add the beans, salt and pepper, wine, chicken broth, and parsley. Simmer 10-15 minutes on low. Mash up the beans slightly with a fork. The beans will naturally thicken the sauce.
• Pasta -- While the beans cook, start cooking your pasta according to directions.
• Spinach -- Now . while the beans simmer and the pasta cook, lets make the spinach. In a large skillet heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter. Add the garlic and cook just a minute until lightly browned, then add the tomatoes and cook 3-4 minutes until they start to break down. Next, add the spinach and cook until lightly wilted just a couple of minutes, not too long. Add additional salt and pepper and cook until spinach is slightly wilted.
• Combine -- Drain the pasta, (reserve a little of the water) and toss with the bean mixture, parmesan cheese, and the spinach mixture. Add a little of the pasta water if you would like a little more sauce. I also like to drizzle just a bit of good olive oil the top. ENJOY!
• Some good toasted baguettes are perfect with this. Just topped with a little olive oil is all.