Pancetta And White Bean Pasta Recipes

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.

PANCETTA AND WHITE BEAN PASTA

Steps:

• 1. Heat oil in large skillet or pan and cook pancetta, ham or bacon for about 4 minutes. Add onions and cook 3 minutes more; add garlic and cook a minute, but don't burn. Don't let pancetta, ham or bacon burn either. Add tomatoes and beans, salt and pepper and simmer til heated through.
• 2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in rapidly salted boiling water. When al dente, pour a cup of boiling water into sauce. Drain pasta well and transfer to large bowl or platter. Mix in bean and pancetta mixture, blending well. Top with some grated cheese, and pass the remaining cheese. Serve at once.

WHITE BEANS WITH PANCETTA AND SAGE

Steps:

• Put the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak the beans overnight in the refrigerator.
• Drain the soaked beans, place them in a large pot and cover with fresh cold water. Put the beans over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Toss in the bay leaves and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 11/2 hours until tender. Drain the cooked beans and spread them out on a sheet pan to cool slightly.
• Put about 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow platter and season it with salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Toss the beans in the seasoned flour to coat completely.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta, fry for a couple of minutes to crisp it up. Toss in the sage leaves and fry for about 1 minute. Remove the pancetta and sage to some paper towels; now you have a flavor base. Shake off excess flour from the beans and put them in the pan in a single layer. Fry the beans for a good 10 minutes to form a golden crust on the outside of the beans, tossing to cook both sides.
• Return the pancetta and fried sage to the pan, stir everything together, and serve.

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.

SHRIMP AND WHITE BEANS WITH FENNEL AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the onion and sliced fennel to the skillet and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes, if using, and cook until the garlic begins to soften and the fennel seeds become aromatic, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and their juices. Fill the tomato can halfway with water, swish it around and add that, too.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook on medium-low, allowing the flavors to come together, about 15 minutes.
• Turn heat back to medium, stir in the shrimp and cook until just pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beans and the cooked pancetta and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Divide among bowls, top with the herbs and drizzle with a bit more olive oil, if desired.

WHITE BEAN PICCATA PASTA WITH BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Three minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli (the broccoli should be crisp-tender when the pasta is al dente). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
• While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: In a large (12-inch) skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and stir until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water, the beans, capers and a pinch of salt, and simmer until saucy and slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the lemon juice, cooked pasta and broccoli, and stir until the pasta is coated in the sauce, adding pasta water as needed to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowls, top with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

ITALIAN WHITE BEAN, PANCETTA, AND TORTELLINI SOUP

Steps:

• In a large, heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, shallots, carrot, and garlic and cook until the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans, Swiss chard, and broth.
• Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the tortellini and cook 5 minutes for fresh, 8 minutes for frozen, or until just tender. Season with pepper and serve.