(Pasta and beans - Authentic Italian recipes)

pasta and beans, Italy-style the photo shows italian pasta dressed with a sauce made with beans, tomatoes and aromatic herbs

zoom »

For the dough
400 g (14 oz) white flour
Water at room temperature
Salt
For the sauce
700 g (1 2/3 lb) fresh beans
50 g (1 3/4 oz) fresh onion, finely chopped
1 dried bay leave, crumbled
2 tablespoons dried chives
100 g (3 1/2 oz) ripe but firm tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Water
Salt
1 dried red chili pepper

Time:
preparation: 20 minutes plus the time for the dough
Cooking: more than an hour
Difficulty:
medium difficulty
Nutrition Facts (amount per serving):
Calories: 540 (kCal) 27 % GDA - 2261 (kJ)
Protein: 20.9 (g) 40 % GDA
Total fat: 9.0 (g) 13 % GDA
Total carbohydrate: 100.2 (g) 37 % GDA
Sugars: 5.0 (g) 6 % GDA

This is a typical recipe from the centre of Italy: Abruzzo and Lazio. This pasta (called sagne) is made with homemade dough with no eggs; the dough is cut in different ways and this pasta is dressed in vary different ways too. The well known recipes are "pasta and beans" and "pasta and chick peas". So we present you our version of "sagne and beans" according to modern requirements: low fat, no food sautéd and, if you want, no garlic.

Prepare the dough. Pour the flour on a working surface and form a well in the center. Add 1/2 cup of water and the salt to the well, gather the flour into the centre while not letting the water escape; work together until smooth and homogenous adding other water if necessary; you might need to add a little flour if the dough is too moist, or a little water if it is too dry. Wrap in a cloth and let rest for about 20-20 minutes.
Roll the dough out on the lightly floured surface not too thin. Dust with semolina. Fold the dough over itself; cut into (2 cm) or 4/5 "- wide pieces, making long strands. Cut every strand in other pieces obliquely. For more details look at the photo and its enlargement. Place the pieces in trays sprinkled with semolina. Dust again with semolina to prevent them from sticking. Let pasta dry in a cold place.
Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Shell the beans, put them in a pan, cover them with 2 litres of water at room temperature and add the onion, bay leave, chives, tomatoes, tomato paste and red chili pepper. Bring to the boil, lower the flame and keep on cooking, half-covered, stirring now and then until the beans are soft (40-45 minutes or more). Put aside some boiling water and add if necessary: beans must be always covered with hot water and, besides, your sauce must be thin.
When the beans are cooked, purée the third part and then add to the sauce; at this point season to taste wih salt and add the olive oil.
Cook pasta in salted, boiling water to 'al dente' stage. Fresh pasta cooks quickly (2 - 5 minutes) but be careful because cooking time depends on many factors.
Drain pasta and add to the sauce. Stir wit delicacy.
Your dish is ready.

Note

- Use also dried beans (300 g - 10 1/2 oz) instead of fresh ones.
- You can serve it not only in cold seasons. We made it in summer: it was excellent served warm!
- Cooking beans you may add other ingredients such as carrots, celery, parsley and, obviously, garlic.
- Use canned peeled tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes in winter.
- It's a typical Italian one-plate meal; complete the meal with a green salad and seasonal fresh fruit.