From inthekitchenwithkath.com
(Adapted from a recipe in Naples at Table, by Arthur Schwartz)
Serves 4
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus ¼ - ½ cup more to make the Hot Pepper Oil*
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 canned and peeled plum tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt (perhaps a bit more if your tomatoes are unsalted)
2½ - 3 cups cooked cannellini beans or chickpeas, with enough of their cooking liquid to barely cover them
6 ounces large tubular pasta, like rigatoni, or ziti, penne, or ditali
Hot Pepper Oil, for serving
Hot Pepper Oil
Break 1 or 2 dried hot chilies (any variety), seeds and all, into ¼ - ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil. Let soak for several hours.
Cooking the Beans
Makes almost 3 cups.
Put 1 cup cannellini beans or chickpeas in a large pot. Cover with water so there is at least 2 inches of water over the beans and soak overnight.
Or....if you don’t want to soak them overnight, cover with water so there is at least 2 inches of water over the beans. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let them sit, covered, for 1 hour.
Drain the beans and cover with plenty of water again. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Add 1½ teaspoons salt and simmer until tender, 10–15 minutes more. (Optional: Add a sprig of rosemary when you add the salt. Remove when the beans are done.)
Drain the beans, reserving enough broth to cover them.
Pasta e Fagioli or Pasta e Ceci
1. Heat a large pot of water for the pasta.
2. Put the ¼ cup olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in a 2½ - 3 quart pan.
3. When the garlic starts sizzling (don’t let it brown), crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands. (Or cut the tomatoes up roughly and add them.)
4. Add the salt and simmer the tomatoes for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon, if necessary.
5. Add the beans and their liquid, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a spoon, smash a few of the beans against the side of the pan.
6. While the beans are simmering, add a tablespoon of salt to the cooking water and cook the pasta until it is almost done. (My rigatoni box said to cook for 10 minutes; I cooked it for 8 minutes.)
7. When the pasta is done, reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the beans; stir and cook for about 2 minutes so the pasta can finish cooking and absorb some of the flavors. Add a bit of the reserved pasta water if it seems too dry.
8. Cover the pot, remove from the heat and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes.
9. Serve and pass the Hot Pepper Oil at the table to drizzle on top of individual servings.