Pasta and beans is an exceptional dish, rich in flavor and nourishment, which can easily be a complete meal. There are numerous variations; for example, sometimes I prepare it completely vegetarian, other times I enrich it with guanciale. When using dried beans, as the traditional recipe requires, it is necessary to dedicate several hours for soaking and at least 40 minutes for cooking. For this reason, sometimes, we give up preparing this traditional dish due to lack of time. Today, with the hectic life we lead, it is difficult to find time to cook, but coming home in the evening, especially in winter, and enjoying a nice steaming bowl of pasta and beans is truly a pleasure. To not miss out on this goodness, we can turn to canned beans that simplify the preparation.
For this recipe, I chose canned borlotti beans, using also their cooking liquid. I started by browning the guanciale in a good pot, without adding oil, because the guanciale already releases enough fat. Then, I deglazed with white wine, added the beans, a few tablespoons of tomato pulp, salt, and a bit of water. I brought it to a boil, let it simmer for 5 minutes, and then tossed in the pasta. I can’t let you smell it, but I assure you that I had to tell my family that this pasta and beans was prepared in no time!
For pasta lovers, I also remember other recipes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 267.62 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 20.93 (g) of which sugars 1.01 (g)
- Proteins 18.90 (g)
- Fat 10.08 (g) of which saturated 3.33 (g)of which unsaturated 5.44 (g)
- Fibers 6.06 (g)
- Sodium 738.96 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 can canned borlotti beans (14 oz)
- 1.8 oz guanciale
- 3 tbsps tomato pulp
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3 1/3 cups water
- to taste coarse salt
- to taste chili pepper
- a few leaves bay leaves
- 10.5 oz rigatoni pasta
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Pot
Preparation
Cut the guanciale into small cubes and place it in a pot with a pinch of chili pepper. Sauté over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Deglaze with white wine and let it evaporate. Then, add the canned beans with their liquid, three tablespoons of tomato pulp, the bay leaves, and a bit of salt.
Pour the water and cover with a lid, bringing it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, slightly lower the heat and let it simmer for five minutes. At this point, add the pasta according to the cooking times indicated on the package and your pasta and beans will be ready!
NOTES
Pasta and beans is delicious when enjoyed hot; you can enhance it when serving with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to further enhance the flavor. If you plan to prepare it in advance, I recommend cooking the pasta and draining it to prevent it from overcooking. When it’s time to serve, simply reheat the broth and combine it with the pasta for a tasty dish!
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