Pasta e Fasoi
Thick borlotti bean and pasta soup from the Veneto, known across Italy as pasta e fagioli, simmered into a dense, warming winter potage.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 510 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based pot
- •Immersion blender or food mill
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 12 g
- protein
- 22 g
- calories
- 510 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Drain the soaked borlotti beans and place them in a pot covered with fresh water and the bay leaf.
- 2
Simmer gently over medium-low heat for roughly 50 minutes until the beans are tender.
- 3
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy pot and add the minced pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery.
- 4
Cook gently over medium heat until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent.
- 5
Add the garlic clove and rosemary sprig, cooking for one minute until fragrant.
- 6
Remove the bay leaf from the beans and ladle half of the cooked beans with their cooking liquid into the vegetable pot.
- 7
Purée the remaining half of the cooked beans with a splash of warm broth until completely smooth.
- 8
Pour the bean purée and remaining broth into the pot, bringing the liquid to a gentle boil.
- 9
Season with salt and add the pasta, stirring regularly so it does not stick to the base.
- 10
Cook until the pasta is al dente and the broth becomes thick and velvety.
- 11
Remove the rosemary sprig and let the soup rest off the heat for five minutes before serving.
- 12
Ladle into bowls and finish each portion with freshly cracked black pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Chef's tips
Letting the soup rest off the heat for five to ten minutes before serving allows the starch to settle into its signature thick texture. In the Veneto, day-old pasta e fasoi is often eaten warm or even at room temperature with an extra drizzle of raw olive oil.
Ingredient substitutions
- dried Lamon or borlotti beans → canned borlotti beans, rinsed and drained (use 600 g, reducing initial cooking time)
- unsmoked pancetta or lardo → an extra tablespoon of olive oil for a fully vegetarian version
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the thick starch.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Leaving the soup too thin and watery instead of dense and creamy.
- •Boiling the pasta over high heat without stirring, which causes it to catch on the bottom of the pot.
Serving suggestions
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