Italian pasta fagioli recipe (Perbureira)

Prepare the day before or 3-4 hours before

1. Soak the beans overnight or do a quick soak. This involves covering the dried beans with water in a pot, bringing the water to a boil and then turning off the heat and letting the beans sit in the water for 3-4 hours.
2. Peel and chop 3 of the garlic cloves , then leave them to macerate in most of the extra virgin olive oil overnight or for at least 3-4 hours. Keep aside one garlic clove and 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil for the soup.

Cook the beans.

1. Drain the beans and add them to a pot with fresh water, the peeled onion and carrot and 3 bay leaves. Season with salt and simmer for up to one hour or until beans are cooked but not mushy!

Make the pasta.

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and break the eggs into the flour. Use a fork to whisk the eggs and then incorporate them into the flour.
2. Once you have the eggs and flour well mixed together, use your hands to start kneading the dough in the bowl.
3. When the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl turn it out onto a flour dusted work surface and continue kneading until it's soft and pliable.
4. Roll the dough into a ball and wrap it in clingfilm (plastic wrap). Let it rest for 30 minutes.
5. When the dough has rested, cut off a quarter of the pasta ball and flatten it slightly with your hand or a rolling pin. Pass the pasta througha hand operated pasta machine at the widest setting (mine is 7).
6. Fold the pasta in thirds and repeat. Then pass the pasta sheet through the next 2-3 settings. So, I used 6, 5, and 4. You don’t want the pasta to be too thin as it will get very soft in the soup.
7. Place the pasta sheet on a flour dusted work surface and cut out strips of about 3-4 cms wide (1.2-1.5") and 15cms in length (6"). You don’t need to be exact. The important thing is that the pasta pieces are similar in size and thickness to ensure even cooking. You can also cut the pasta into triangles or squares.
8. Repeat with the rest of the pasta dough. Place the ready pasta ribbons/pieces on a flour dusted tray. I like to use oven paper on top of the tray. Semolina flour is the best for stopping the pasta pieces from sticking to the paper or to each other.

Make the bean soup

1. Once the beans are cooked. Drain the latter and set aside. Save the cooking water and keep it warm over a low heat. Then cut the pancetta into small cubes and sauté it with one of the peeled garlic cloves in a little olive oil in your soup pot. I used my Dutch oven.
2. When the pancetta starts to brown, add the peeled and quartered potatoes, the passata and the rosemary sprig/s. Stir everything together, add 2-3 ladles of the bean cooking liquid and cook for5-10 minutes.
3. Next add the drained beans and a little more of the cooking water. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add more liquid as necessary.

Cook the pasta.

1. Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Add half the pasta to the water and cook for just a minute (if using fresh or homemade pasta). Then with a slotted spoon transfer the pasta to the bean soup. Cook the rest of the pasta and transfer it to the soup.
2. Finally, stir the pasta gently into the bean soup. Add some more bean cooking water and continue to cook until the pasta is al dente. Dried pasta will need to be cooked longer before adding it to the soup.

Serve your Italian pasta fagioli.

1. Serve with the garlic oil drizzled on top and grated parmigiano cheese if required.