This has got to be one of the easiest and cheapest meals you can make. If you use the borlotti beans then it looks like a light brown sludge - but this is the best tasting version for me.
I use a pasta called "tubbettiello" for this dish - the small, short little tubes just like in the photo above - but you can use different shapes if you want - like "digitalli" or other similar sized. The idea is to have an equal balance of beans and pasta.. un fagiolo per ogni tubbettiello e' la versione ideale!
Pancetta - or bacon - chop it up - just enough to give the taste
Garlic - as much as you like - finely sliced
Good olive oil
A bit of celery - string it and chop finely
Onion - finely chopped
2 or 3 fresh ripe tomatoes - chopped
2 large tins borlotti beans - I cant be bothered soaking the dried ones overnight - you can if you want.
500 grammes of pasta
Fresh parsley - flat leaf is good
Loads of cheese
Salt and black pepper
Fry the garlic gently in the oil until light golden brown. Add the celery, onion, pancetta and tomatoes and cook until they break down a bit, then add a bit of water, let it cook for another 10 minutes or so until it is a sauce. Add the beans and the juice from the tin, stir gently and continue to simmer slowly for a bit. Cook the pasta al dente, drain and add to bean mixture. Stir gently for few minutes. If it gets too thick or dry, add more water. Add some parsley.
Serve immediately or the pasta will absorb all the liquid.. put on flat plates rather than in a bowl so you can spread it out - it will cool down faster - with lots of cheese. I love it cold the next day, or you can add a little water and warm it up again. Enjoy!
You can replace the borlotti beans with cannellini beans, black eye peas or lima beans. Omit the tomatoes and it becomes a "white version" if you are using the cannellini beans.. you can even add a fresh red chilli if you want.
Hmm.. I think I'll make some for lunch. :) :)