Pasta With Cannellini Beans Pancetta Tomato Sauce Recipes

CANNELLINI BEANS, SPINACH, TOMATOES AND PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in 3-quart pan, add onions and cook over meduim heat till limp, but not browned.
• Add garlic and stir until you can smell it, maybe a minute or two. It's key to prevent it from browning.
• Add drained spinach and combine well with onion and garlic.
• Stir in tomatoes.
• Stir in one can beans with their liquid.
• Liquify the rest of the beans with their liquid in a food processor, or mash with a potato masher in a bowl. Stir them into the rest of the dish.
• Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken, making sure it doesn't stick.
• Add chicken broth a little at a time until you get the thickness you like. It should be thick, but thin enough to coat pasta.
• Stir in oregano and basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if desired.
• Serve over hot pasta with grated Parmesan cheese. You can add a little heat with some red pepper flakes.

PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, and stir together until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes with juice and a pinch of sugar. Raise the heat slightly, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are bubbling vigorously. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook gently, stirring and mashing the tomatoes often with the back of your spoon until they have cooked down into a thick, fragrant sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the beans and the herbs, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• When the pasta water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook al dente, following the recommendations on the package but checking about a minute before the indicated time. When the pasta is just about done, check to see if the tomato sauce seems dry. If so, add up to 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan and stir. Drain the pasta, toss with the sauce and serve, passing the cheese for sprinkling.

PENNE WITH TOMATOES & WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5-7 minutes to allow flavors to blend., Add spinach, olives, salt and pepper; cook and stir over medium heat until spinach is wilted. Drain pasta; top with tomato mixture and cheese.