Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp Good Olive Oil
  • 4 oz Pancetta, diced
  • 1 cup Yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 cup Carrots, diced small
  • 1 cup Celery, diced small
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Dry Red Wine (Chianti or Cabernet)
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (28 oz) Crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups High-quality chicken stock
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes
  • 1 Fresh Rosemary sprig
  • 1.5 cups Ditalini pasta (uncooked)
  • 1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup Fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the 4 oz of diced pancetta and cook for 5-7 minutes. You are looking for the fat to render out and the bits to become slightly crispy but not burnt. This fat is where all the flavor lives.
  2. Add the 1 cup onion, 1 cup carrots, and 1 cup celery to the pot. Stir well to coat them in the pancetta fat. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened slightly. Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for just 1 minute more — garlic burns quickly!
  3. Pour in the 1/2 cup of dry red wine. As it bubbles, use your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot. Those brown bits (the fond) are concentrated flavor. Let the wine reduce by half, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the 2 cans of cannellini beans, the 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken stock, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, and the fresh rosemary sprig. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
  5. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 20 minutes. This allows the vegetables to fully tenderize and the flavors to marry. At this point, I like to take my spoon and crush a few of the beans against the side of the pot to naturally thicken the liquid.
  6. Add the 1.5 cups of ditalini pasta directly into the pot. Increase the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is tender but still has a bite. If the soup gets too thick, add a splash more stock or water.
  7. Remove the rosemary sprig and discard it. Turn off the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan and 1/4 cup of fresh parsley. Taste it first before adding salt and pepper — the pancetta and stock are often salty enough.