- To soak the beans: 12 hours.
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: two hours 20 minutes.
- Standing time: 5 minutes.
- 500g dried cannellini beans (one kg if fresh)
- Spring fresh sage.
- 5 cloves garlic.
- Rosemary.
- 400g soup pasta (ditali).
- Chili pepper.
- 200g tomatoes.
- Extra-virgin olive oil.
- Salt.
Put the dried cannellini beans in a saucepan with the sage, salt and two cloves of garlic. Cover with water and cook for two hours (one hours if using fresh beans) over a very low heat. Drain two thirds of the beans and mash or blend them.
Fry the remaining cloves of garlic and the rosemary; add and lightly toss the raw pasta, stirring continuously. Add a pinch of chili pepper and the mashed beans. Peel and finely chop the tomatoes, add and cook for a couple of minutes then pour in half of the liquid from the beans you have left whole. Allow the pasta to cook, gradually adding the remaining liquid and add more salt if necessary.
Lastly, add the whole beans. Remove the rosemary and garlic cloves and leave to stand for five minutes before serving. Remember that half a litre of water is required to cook 100g of dried beans.