A rich, rustic, soupy pasta dish from Italy that combines beans and pasta in a bowl of goodness. Don’t forget the benediction: a final swirl of extra-virgin olive oil at the end for extra richness.

Ingredients
Feeds 4. Takes 60 mins.

2tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
800g canned cannellini (white kidney) or borlotti beans
400g tomatoes, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre boiling water
200g broken tagliatelle or small pasta shapes
Extra-virgin olive oil
2tbsp grated parmesan

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-lidded saucepan, add the onion and cook until softened. Add the carrot, celery and garlic and cook for ten minutes. Drain and rinse the canned beans well and add them to the pan. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and the boiling water, and bring back to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for half an hour. At this point, crush a few beans against the side of the pan and stir them through to thicken the mixture. In the meantime, cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain well, reserving a small jugful of the pasta water, and add the pasta to the soup for another five minutes of cooking, stirring well. The consistency should be that of a stew, rather than a soup. Add some of the pasta water if too thick. Pour into warm, deep bowls. Top each bowl with a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil and plenty of grated parmesan before serving.

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