White Bean Pasta Fagioli

 

One pan, one colander, one spoon, unless you count the one you eat with.  This pasta dish takes about 15 minutes to make from start to finish, and it’s a snap to clean up.   

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried pasta shapes
1 15 ounce can small white beans
2 Tbs unsalted butter
¼ cup pasta cooking liquid
2 Tbs fresh chopped sage
2 gloves chopped garlic
¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion or shallot
½ ounce grated fresh parmesan cheese.
Salt and Pepper

• Bring 4 quarts of water and 1 Tbs salt to a boil.  Add the pasta, and boil according to package directions for “al dente”
• While the pasta is cooking, rinse the white beans into a colander.
• When the pasta is finished cooking, ladle approximately ¼ cup of the cooking liquid into a container and reserve.  Drain the pasta in the colander with the beans.  Do not rinse.
• Return the pan to the heat, and melt the butter. 
• Add the chopped onion or shallot, the garlic and the sage to the butter, and sauté until the butter starts to brown.
• Add the cooking liquid to the pan, then immediately add the pasta and the beans.  Toss in the pan for a minute or two, to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce and finish cooking.
• Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with the fresh grated parmesan cheese.