Ingredients
- 6 pancetta
- 1 1/2 qt chicken stock
- 1 lb kidney beans (dried white)
- 2 c ditalini
- 1 c onion (finely chopped red)
- 1 c celery (finely chopped)
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 2 ts salt
- 1 ts pepper
- 2 tb parsley (minced)
- 1 tb sage (minced fresh)
- 1 ts sage (dried)
- 4 packages cannellini beans
Freshly grated Romano cheese -=OR=Parmigiano cheese IF USING DRIED BEANS, soak overnight in 5 cups of water. Drain beans and place in a large pot. Add 10 cups cold water, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer beans and cook until tender, about 1 hour. In an 8-quart pot, saute the pancetta in olive oil until soft. Add onion and celery and saute, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add sage, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil. Drain the beans, add to soup, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Cook pasta in 4 quarts boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt until al dente. Drain and add to soup. Stir in minced parsley before serving and sprinkle with grated cheese.