From Lucia Tolfo's kitchen in Italy.

Originally published on Cookpad Italy as Pasta e fagioli, with US measurements.

Pasta e Fagioli

Name: Pasta e Fagioli
Total time: 18000 s
Yield: Serves 4 servings
Ingredients: 5 oz dried borlotti beans (about 140 g); 5 oz dried cannellini beans (about 140 g); 2 carrots; 1 onion; 1 celery stalk; 4 potatoes; 3-4 peeled tomatoes; 2 pork bones; 1 3/4 oz pork fatback (about 50 g); 1 small handful coarse salt; as needed Water,; as needed Extra virgin olive oil,; 7 oz tagliatelle or ditalini pasta (about 200 g)

Lucia Tolfo @lericettedicuocaLu

Venezia

Difficulty: ★★☆
A classic dish from the Italian countryside; my grandfather always told me that with a good plate of pasta e fagioli and a jug of wine, he could work all day in the fields! This is a wholesome, complete meal, and there are countless versions depending on the region and tradition.
You can use borlotti beans, cannellini beans, with or without potatoes.
Today, I'm sharing my version!

Lucia Tolfo @lericettedicuocaLu

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Ingredients

2.5 hours

Serves 4 servings

5 ozdried borlotti beans (about 140 g)
5 ozdried cannellini beans (about 140 g)
2carrots
1onion
1celery stalk
4potatoes
3-4peeled tomatoes
2pork bones
1 3/4 ozpork fatback (about 50 g)
1small handful coarse salt
as neededWater,
as neededExtra virgin olive oil,
7 oztagliatelle or ditalini pasta (about 200 g)

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Steps

2.5 hours

1

⚠️ Soak the beans in cold water for about 10 to 12 hours. Be sure to plan ahead for this step. Before using, rinse them with cold water.
2

Gather all the ingredients.
3

Clean and wash all the vegetables. Rinse the beans.
4

In a large pot, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the pork bones and fatback, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off the heat.
5

Add the vegetables, potatoes, beans, and the handful of salt.
6

Pour in enough water to cover all the ingredients, plus an extra 1 inch (2 to 3 cm) of water. Cook for about 1 hour, or until the beans are tender.
7

When done, remove the bones, fatback, and celery. Use a slotted spoon to separate the vegetables and beans from the cooking liquid. Puree everything together, adding enough cooking liquid to make a thick, creamy soup.
8

Choose your preferred pasta shape—tagliolini, tagliatelle, or ditalini all work well.
9

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the bean puree and cook the pasta in it. If you use a pasta that takes longer to cook, add a bit more of the vegetable cooking liquid to thin the soup and prevent sticking.
10

Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Before serving, drizzle with a spoonful of olive oil. I use olive oil from Puglia, but you can infuse your oil with your favorite spices if you like. Serve hot and enjoy!
11

✔ To make infused olive oil, simply pour 1 or 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a small bowl, add your favorite spice, and let it sit for a few minutes. Strain before using.
12

✔ Before pureeing the soup, remove the celery to avoid stringy bits in the finished dish.
13

✔ Cooking tip: If you're short on time, you can cook everything in a pressure cooker. Sauté the fatback and bones with olive oil, then add all the ingredients. Close the lid and bring to pressure. Cook for 40 minutes. Once the pressure has released, continue with the remaining steps. Note: With this method, you won't be able to remove the bones and fatback before pureeing.

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Lucia Tolfo @lericettedicuocaLu

Published in the US on August 08, 2025 14:01

Venezia

Ciao a tutti! Sono Lucia! Sono moglie e mamma di due splendidi ragazzi...oramai quasi uomini! La mia cucina è quella classica italiana, sana! mi piace però sperimentare e dare quel pizzico di novità alle ricette.vegano, vegetariano, food porn😂, light, fit...provo di tutto!infondo sono una buona forchetta!