Pasta And Beans
Pasta e Fagioli
Serves 6-8

We always pronounced this dish as "pasta fazool" in Neopolitain dialect. This
recipe is my mom and dad's,
If you prefer to use dried beans in this recipe, soak them overnight in cold
water. The next day, drain and rinse them. Cook them in fresh water until they
soften, about one hour, and add them to the recipe when noted.

1/2 pound mezzi-tubettini or dittalini pasta - small, tube shaped pasta
1 red onion - diced - you may sub. white
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces prosciuto (with fat and skin) left whole - you may sub. ham, a smoked
pork chop or slab bacon
salt and pepper to taste
2, 8 ounce cans small white beans such as great northern, drained and
rinsed - you may sub. cannelini
beans (white kidney beans) or chick
peas
1/2 cup dry, white wine
2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
2, 8 ounce cans chicken broth - or 2 cups fresh chicken stock

1 pasta pot
1 Dutch oven
1 long handled wooden spoon

olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.
In a separate, Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the
onion and saute until soft.
Stir in the prosciuto and allow it to melt into the oil. Saute for a
minute or two until it browns. Lower heat.
Add the beans, mashing some of them into the mixture. Add rosemary,
salt and pepper to taste.
Cover bean mixture with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat
and simmer over very low heat, partially covered for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al
dente. Drain pasta, stir it into the bean mixture and simmer covered for 10-15
minutes.
Taste for seasoning and make any necessary adjustments.
To serve, ladle into bowls and drizzle a 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil on
top. Let everyone season their own at the table with black pepper and freshly
grated, Italian cheese.