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Pasta and bean soup with cured Italian ham
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 300g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight
- 5tbsp olive oil
- a few pieces of cured Italian ham, (prosciutto) a piece on the bone, if you can find it, or a handful of lardons
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 litre beef or chicken stock
- 200g mixed short dried pasta
- 2tbsp fresh basil leaves
- extra virgin olive oil, to finish
- 1tsp chopped fresh chilli, to finish (optional)
Method
The southern version of this classic dish is totally different from the northern, and would traditionally make use of the leftovers of many packets
of different pasta shapes, called munnezzaglia (rubbish). Nowadays, commercial pasta companies provide ready-mixed pasta in bags to be bought for the occasion, known as ‘pasta mista’.
Drain the beans, and cover with water (no salt). Cook for 11⁄2 hours until soft. Drain and reduce half of them to a paste in a processor.
In a large saucepan heat the olive oil gently, then add the pieces of ham and the bone (if lucky enough to find one), and fry for about 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic, and fry very briefly. Add the tomatoes and the stock and bring to the boil. Add both the whole and crushed beans and the pasta, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the basil and season to taste.
Divide the soup between warmed bowls and serve with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. I wouldn’t add cheese, but perhaps a little chopped chilli.
For a northern version, replace the cannellini beans with borlotti beans and the mixed short dried pasta with broken pieces of dried tagliatelle, add a finely chopped onion to the oil with the ham, and scatter over a little parmesan.
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