Tuscan White Bean soup

By dfarber

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried cannellini beans
• 2 bay leaves
• salt
• 1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary plus whole leaves for garnish
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3 Plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped for garnish
• Pecorino Romano, for garnish
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

1. Soak beans in cold water for at least 4 hours. Drain, put in a medium saucepan, and add water to cover. Add bay leaves. Bring to a strong boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add more boiling water if needed to maintain water level. When beans are tender add salt to taste, and cook a little longer. Let cool in liquid.
2. In a large saucepan over low heat, cook pancetta until fat is completely rendered and pancetta is crisp. Add onion, garlic, and rosemary; cook until onion is very soft, about 20 minutes. Do not brown.
3. Drain beans, reserving liquid. Remove bay leaves. Add beans to saucepan with 4 cups of cooking liquid. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered. Season with salt and pepper. Add more rosemary to taste.
4. Puree about a quarter of the soup and return to pot. Serve hot, garnished with chopped tomatoes, shavings of pecorino and olive oil, and rosemary leaves.