Chef Lorenzo’s traditional Pasta Fagioli has all of the classic elements of this iconic dish – soffritto, beans, pancetta, and al dente ditalini pasta.
Sometimes called "Pasta Fazool" or "Pasta Fasul", pasta e fagioli really only requires two ingredients: pasta and beans. This rendition of the dish, specific to Veneto, uses borlotti (cranberry) beans, pancetta, parsley, and Ditalini pasta but as you travel across Italy, there are plenty of other versions of the dish, which use different ingredients, creating either a soup or stew.
In a pot sauté vegetables with pancetta and 3 tablespoons olive oil for three minutes.
Add garlic, cook one more minute then stir in tomato paste, add beans and liquid, season with salt and pepper; simmer for 20 minutes, adjusting consistency with boiling water if it gets too thick along the way.
Process 2 cups of mixture in the blender until smooth [be very careful when doing so, I suggest cooling it down first].
Place all back together again, bring to boil. Add pasta and cook half the recommended cook time.
Let rest 20 minutes before serving. Drizzle with remaining olive oil before serving.
