Pasta
A rustic Italian pasta-and-bean dish combining thick bigoli and short hand-cut sagne in a creamy borlotti bean sauce, finished with rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and black pepper. Serves: 4
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat.
Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and sweet but not browned.
Add the garlic, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato passata and cook for 4 minutes to deepen the flavor.
Add the cooked borlotti beans and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Mash about one third of the beans with a spoon or potato masher to make the sauce creamy.
Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little broth if it becomes too thick.
Add the bigoli first, because they are thicker and usually need more time. Stir well so they do not stick.
After 3–4 minutes, add the sagne and continue cooking gently.
Stir often while the pasta cooks directly in the bean sauce. The starch will make the dish rich and velvety.
When the pasta is tender but still firm, turn off the heat. Remove rosemary stems and bay leaf.
Rest for 3 minutes, then adjust salt and pepper. Serve warm with olive oil and Parmigiano if desired.