One of my father’s favorite dishes pasta fagioli; whenever we dined at our neighborhood Italian restaurant, it was always his choice for a first course. He glowed with contentment as the waiter set the bowl of beans and pasta in a thick tomatoey broth in front of him and after a few spoonfuls, he’d inevitably proclaim it as “a meal in itself.”

Perhaps my delight for this dish comes as much from the memories of my dad it evokes as from the comfort it delivers. So, when my husband suggested making it for dinner the other night after reading a recipe online, I quickly agreed. After reading the recipe that called for cooking the canned cannellini beans in the broth for an hour and a half before adding the pasta, however, I had second thoughts. But since I was already online, I searched for an alternative that still used canned beans but with a more reasonable cooking time.

The recipe I chose comes from James Delmage’s excellent website, Sip and Feast, that specializes in New York-style Italian and Italian-American recipes. After a quick review of the recipe, I was certain that it would deliver a version of the dish that came close to the one my dad would order and that was less complicated than the one I would prepare from dried beans.

I followed the recipe closely, but as I was cooking for two scaled it down. I also made a couple of substitutions: crushed tomatoes for whole and red onion for yellow (a last-minute swap). I also added my crushed red-pepper flakes to sauté with the garlic rather than after to give the soup more heat.

The dish exceeded our expectations. The onions, pancetta, and tomatoes yielded a rich broth with just the right amount of heat from the crushed red pepper. The rich bean flavors were enhanced even more from the rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano and the rosemary.  Crushing a portion of the beans against the side of the pot gave the soup a creamy texture. This is indeed the perfect fall into winter dish; comfort food at its best.

Pasta Fagioli (adapted from a recipe by James Delmage on Sip and Feast.)

Ingredients

 ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling when served
2 ounces pancetta, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
 ½  medium onion, diced (I swapped a red onion for the yellow when I started cooking.)
½  teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 16-ounce can cannellini beans drained, but not rinsed
3 cups water to start, but more as needed
½  cup crushed plum tomatoes
1 sprig rosemary optional
1 cup ditalini
1 Parmigiano rind
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated pecorino Romano cheese for serving

Directions

1. In a large heavy pot sauté the pancetta in the olive oil for 7-10 minutes over medium heat, or until the pancetta has rendered most of its fat.

2. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened.

3. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes more until just golden.

4. Add the water, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and the tomatoes and give it all a stir.

5. Add the drained beans, the Parmigiano- Reggiano rind, and the rosemary and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

 6. Lower the heat to medium and crush some of the beans by smashing them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.

7. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Stir frequently to keep the pasta from sticking. The pasta will absorb much of the liquid so add more water as needed. The final consistency of the pasta fagioli is a matter of personal taste. If you like it soupier, add more water.

8. When the pasta is al dente turn off the heat and taste. Adjust salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.

9. Serve in heated bowls, sprinkled with the Romano cheese and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

Wine Pairing: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah