Pasta e Fagioli

• 1 pound borlotti beans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces prosciutto ends, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (green part removed)
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 10-ounce can plum tomatoes, with their juice, chopped
• 6 to 8 cups chicken or beef stock, preferably homemade
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound penne rigate
• Extra-virgin olive oil for garnishing the soup
• 1/2 pound chopped dandelion leaves or escarole
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Soak the Borlotti beans in water to cover overnight.
2. Heat the olive oil and cook the prosciutto ends for five minutes.
3. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the beans and the stock.
5. Bring to boil.
6. Turn down the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and continue cooking until the beans are soft (about 20 more minutes).
8. In a food processor, puree half the beans with some of their cooking liquid and return puree to the saucepan.
9. Check density of the soup and add stock if it is too thick.
10. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, cook the penne in boiling salted water until it is barely al dente.
11. Drain it and add it to the soup.
12. Correct the seasoning.
13. Serve the soup in individual heated bowls with a helping of extra-virgin olive oil swirled into each portion, along with a handful of chopped greens.
14. Pass the Parmesan cheese separately.

borlotti beans, olive oil, onion, garlic, stalks celery, carrot, tomatoes, chicken, salt, penne rigate, extravirgin olive oil for garnishing the soup, dandelion, parmesan cheese

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5601 (may not work)