Pasta e Fagioli, · 12 servings

Cover the 600 g dried borlotti beans with plenty of cold water, for soaking and cooking and leave them to soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans, put them in a saucepan with the ≈ 1 g bay leaves, cover generously with fresh cold water and boil gently for about 1 h 20 min. Keep them in their cooking water.

Heat the 30 g extra virgin olive oil in a large pot, add the ≈ 9 g garlic, 90 g onion, 90 g celery and 90 g carrot and fry gently for about 5 min.

Add the 240 g prosciutto crudo and 240 g lardo (cured pork back fat) and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Lift the beans out of their pot with a slotted spoon and add them to the soffritto. Add one ladle of the bean cooking water and keep the rest hot.

Stir in the 750 g tomato passata, season moderately with fine salt and some black pepper, and simmer over medium heat for 20 min.

Scoop two ladles of the soup into a jug and blend them to a smooth cream with a stick blender. Set aside.

Add the 960 g ditaloni rigati or other short soup pasta straight to the pot, pour in enough of the hot bean water to cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring often so it does not catch, until al dente. Add more bean water if it gets too thick.

Stir in the blended cream and the chopped ≈ 18 g rosemary, turn off the heat, cover and leave to rest for 3 min. Serve with a final grinding of pepper.