Maltagliati bean soup

Soak the beans in cold water for 12 hours. Then, boil the beans in lightly salted water. Keep some of the cooking water. Set the boiled beans aside.

Make a well in the flour, add the eggs and mix until obtaining a smooth dough. Let the dough rest for at least 20 minutes, wrap in clear foil.

Roll the dough either with a rolling pin or using the pasta machine. Make very thin sheets (about 1/16 of an inch), flour lightly, fold a few times to form stacking layers and, using a knife, cut out Fettuccine of about 1/2 inch width. Spread them on a tray sprinkled with flour and let dry for 20 minutes, toss them every so often.

Cut the pasta with a knife or break with your hands to obtain irregular shapes about 1 inch long.

Heat on medium heat a pan with 1/3 of the extra virgin olive oil.  Add a sprig of rosemary and the garlic, and, when the onion turns golden, place the Pancetta and tomato paste in the pan. After a few minutes, add the beans and fix salt and pepper. Let cook and add the beans cooking water that you had previously set aside. After about 10 minutes, remove the rosemary and garlic. Continue cooking on low heat.

After 30 minutes, remove half of the beans and mill them. Turn the mixture back on the heat.  Alternatively, blend the beans in the pot using a hand-held blender. If needed, add water during the processing until obtaining a creamy texture.

Bring the soup to boil and cook the Maltagliati pasta for 5 minutes.

Serve hot, and dust with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and a drizzle of the raw remaining extra virgin olive oil.