I guess this gorgeous lady needs no introduction. I have been following her since I discovered TikTok. I even tried 2 of her recipes out in the past and I was super excited when she announced her cookbook.
I preordered on Amazon and it arrived last week. I didn't even wait and just dove into her cookbook; there are so many stories and recipes.
1, in particular, caught my attention, which is this simple yet nourishing, heart and yummilicious pasta dish. I have looking for a non tomato based pasta stew recipe for quite some time and this is exactly what I wanted. I love how simple Italian cuisine is. Simple yet sophisticated.
I can't find any of the mentioned pasta in the book, so I decided to go with macaroni. I am sure the queen will understand. On a side note, do not skip the cheese rind. It adds a ton of umami to the dish (yes it is 100% edible even tho there're color prints). Try not to skip that. If not, this will remind you not to throw out any cheese rinds in the future. Let's get cooking!
Ingredients:
Adapted from The Pasta Queen Just Gorgeous Cookbook
(Serve 4)
Cannellini Beans, 170g
High Quality Olive Oil, 2 TBSP
Yellow Onion Finely Minced, 1
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper, Pinch
Carrots Obliqued, 2
Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP
Leeks Coarsely Sliced, 2
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Peeled Tomatoes Canned, 56g
Parmigiano Reggiano Rind, 1
Pasta Mista Corta / Ditali / Maltagliati (I'm using Macaroni), 128g
Dried Rosemary, Pinch
Parmigiano Reggiano, For Grating
High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, For Drizzling
Equipment:
Sauce Pot
Heavy Sauce Pot
Directions:
Soak the beans in a bowl of water overnight, making sure the beans are fully submerged.
The next day, the beans should plump up quite a bit.
Drain and transfer the beans into a sauce pot.
Add water to about 2" above the beans and turn the heat up to medium.
Bring it up to a simmer.
Cook for about 1hr.
*Remove any scum on the surface. Give it a stir occasionally to prevent burning.*
After 1hr, drain and set the beans aside.
Transfer the liquid back into the sauce pot.
*As usual, I like to add all the vegetable scraps into the stock, cook for 3 to 5 mins, cover and infuse for 10 mins, drain and discard the residue. This will be my simple stock.*
In a heavy sauce pot over medium heat, add olive oil.
Once the oil is heated up, add onion.
Season with salt and pepper.
Saute until translucent.
Add in carrots and saute until well combined.
Add butter, cover and cook for 2 to 3 mins or until the carrots are fork tender.
Add leeks and garlic.
Saute until aromatic.
Hand crush the tomatoes and transfer them to the pot.
Followed by the cheese rind and beans. Saute until well combined.
Drizzle some of that stock and deglaze.
Add about 1 cup of that stock and bring it up to a simmer.
Turn the heat down to low and cook for about 1 hr or until the beans are soft.
*Add in more stock if necessary. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.*
Add in the pasta, I am using macaroni, and stir to combine well.
Cook until the pasta is al dente.
*If you prefer a soupy consistency add in more stock or water. If you prefer a more stewy consistency cook to further reduce the liquid to your desired consistency.*
Final taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Lastly, stir in the rosemary.
Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowls.
Grate some parmigiano over the top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Serve immediately.
Just gorgeous...
Mama Mia...