Pasta e fagioli

By mariannefeldman

lydia's italy: recipes

Ingredients

• 1 bag dry cannellini beans
• 1 cup prepared marinara sauce (always homemade!)
• 2 smoked ham hocks
• 2 cups cooked pasta (al dente) of your choice, I like broken spaghetti and ditalini
• 6 cloves garlic
• peperoncino (hot pepper flakes) to taste
• oregano to taste (a couple shakes)
• 1 - 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

Cover dry beans with water (so that the water sits a couple of inches above the beans). Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Let stand for at least one hour to soften.

Use a strainer to change the water, again filling the pot until the water rises a couple of inches above the beans.

Add ham hocks, garlic cloves, and oregano. Let cook for 45 minutes.

Add tomato sauce and hot pepper flakes, and cook for another half hour (or until beans are tender).

Add cooked pasta and let sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Drizzle with olive oil before serving, and enjoy!