Pasta And Bean Soup Neapolitan Style Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups (1 pound) dried cranberry beans or red kidney beans, soaked overnight in cold water to cover generously
2 quarts water
1 thick slice prosciutto (2 to 3 ounces), cut into 3 or 4 pieces
3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely minced yellow onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely minced
Chopped fresh red chili pepper or hot red pepper flakes to taste
Salt to taste
6 ounces spaghetti, broken into small pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil to taste
Directions
Drain and rinse the beans under cold running water.
Put them in a large pot and add the water and the prosciutto.
Cover the pot partially and bring the water to a gentle simmer.
Simmer the beans over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn the heat off and set aside until ready to use.
With a slotted spoon, scoop up the pieces of prosciutto from the beans and cut them into small pieces.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion, parsley, and garlic.
Cook, stirring, until the onion is pale vellow and soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, prosciutto pieces and the hot pepper, then season with salt.
Simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
If the tomatoes are not very ripe, and the mixture looks dry, add a few tablespoons of the bean cooking water.
Puree half of the beans in a food processor or food mill and return them to the pot with the rest of the beans.
Add the tomato mixture to the beans and put the pot back on medium heat.
Simmer the soup 4 to 5 minutes longer.
Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionallv, until it is tender but still firm to the bite, al dente.
Turn the heat off under the pot and let the soup rest for a few minutes.
Put them in a large pot and add the water and the prosciutto.
Cover the pot partially and bring the water to a gentle simmer.
Simmer the beans over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn the heat off and set aside until ready to use.
With a slotted spoon, scoop up the pieces of prosciutto from the beans and cut them into small pieces.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion, parsley, and garlic.
Cook, stirring, until the onion is pale vellow and soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, prosciutto pieces and the hot pepper, then season with salt.
Simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
If the tomatoes are not very ripe, and the mixture looks dry, add a few tablespoons of the bean cooking water.
Puree half of the beans in a food processor or food mill and return them to the pot with the rest of the beans.
Add the tomato mixture to the beans and put the pot back on medium heat.
Simmer the soup 4 to 5 minutes longer.
Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionallv, until it is tender but still firm to the bite, al dente.
Turn the heat off under the pot and let the soup rest for a few minutes.
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