Recipe: Quick Tuscan White Bean Soup

QUICK TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

6 ounces pancetta, one 1-inch-thick slice, cut into 1-inch curves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over individual bowls
1 small onion, chopped medium
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
4 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and ground black pepper
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Cook the pancetta in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Discard pancetta and add the oil to the pot with the pancetta fat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 1/2 cups water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Submerge the rosemary in the liquid, cover the pot and let stand off the heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Discard the rosemary and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and drizzle each bowl with olive oil. Serve immediately.

Tip on canned beans: Our tasting panel found organic beans to be quite firm, chalky and under-seasoned. Green Giant and Goya beans were the top choices because they were creamy (but not mushy) and well-seasoned.

Italian Classics by the editors of Cook's illustrated magazine