Pasta and Dried Bean Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 300g/11 oz dried borlotti or cannelloni beans

• 400g/14 oz can plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juice

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 bay leaves

• coarsely ground black pepper

• 90ml/6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

• 750ml/1 1/4 pints water

• 10ml/2 tsp salt

• 200g/7 oz scant 2 cups ditalini or other small pasta

• 45ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Serves 4-6

Method:

1. Soak the beans in water overnight. Rinse and drain well. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain again.

2. Return the beans to the pan. Add enough water to cover them by 2.5cm/1 in.

3. Stir in the coarsely chopped tomatoes with their juice, the garlic, bay leaves, black pepper and the oil. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add more water if necessary.

4. Remove the bay leaves. Pass about half of the bean mixture through a food mill, or puree in a food processor. Stir into the pan with the remaining bean mixture. Add the water and bring the soup the boil.

5. Add the salt and the pasta. Stir, then cook until the pasta is just done. Stir in the parsley. Allow the dish to stand for at least 10 minutes, then serve with extra olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.