"16 BEAN" PASTA E FAGIOLI

Provided by Ina Garten

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

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1 (1-pound) bag Goya 16 Bean Soup Mix
2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for serving
6 ounces pancetta, 1/4-inch-diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1 cup dry red wine
4 to 6 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup miniature pasta, such as ditalini or tubettini
1/2 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon good red wine vinegar
Julienned fresh basil leaves, for serving

Steps:

The day before you plan to make the soup, place the bean mix in a large bowl, add cold water to cover by 2 inches and refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain the beans, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Place the beans in a large pot with 8 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally and skim off any foam that rises to the top. The beans should be very tender and the skin will peel away when you blow on a bean.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and onion and saute over medium to medium-high heat for 12 to 18 minutes, until browned. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for one minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, 4 cups of the chicken stock, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and turn off the heat.
Drain the beans and add two-thirds of them to the soup. Pass the remaining beans through a food mill, discarding the skins. Stir the bean puree and the pasta into the soup, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender. Add up to 2 more cups chicken stock if the soup is too thick. Stir in the Parmesan and the vinegar. Ladle the soup into large shallow bowls and add a swirl of olive oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan and some basil. Serve hot with extra Parmesan on the side.