Tagliatelle con Fagioli e Pancetta

 

So I went to the library last week and took out some cookbooks. One was Biba's Taste of Italy. I have cooked from "From Biba's Italian Kitchen." This book, Biba's Taste of Italy, is packed with must try recipes. I found the recipe for Tagliatelli with Beans and Proscuitto. I had Proscuitto in the freezer but I had Pancetta in the fridge so I made a slight alteration.  Also I did not use heavy cream. I used low fat milk. This was delicious. Chris loved it! The noodle were homemade which I am sure added to the delicious flavors that were on the plate.

Tagliatelli with Beans and Pancetta, with my changes -

Ingredients-
1 1/2 cups cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 pound pancetta, diced
1/3 cup diced onion
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
5 tbsp tomato paste diluted in 5 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pounds tagiatelle noodles
1/2 cup parmigiano-Reggiano

Method-
Saute the Pancetta until crisp. Remove from the pan. Saute the onion in the butter.  Add the pancetta and the beans and stir for a minute or two. Add the diluted tomato paste and the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered stirring from time to time, until the sauce has a medium thick consistency, about 12 to 15 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt and the pasta, cook uncovered, until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite. Reserve some pasta water.
Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce. Add some cheese and stir until combined, adding pasta water if too dry. Adjust seasoning and serve with remaining Parmigiano.

 

To go with this dish I made Pizza di Scarola, the recipe is from Naples at Table: Cooking in Compania. The recipe calls for anchovies which I did not have. Constructing the Pizza was a little hard to follow. Mine turned out like a calzone, but I thought it should have been more pie-like. Maybe next time. And the recipe called for raisins. A lot of Italian recipes call for raisins. My mom did not use them. I added them to this but I think I will leave them out next time. Here is my version of Pizza di Scarola.

Ingredients-
Pizza dough
1 head escarole
2 tbsp cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch hot pepper flakes
1/3 cup Gaeta olives, sliced
2 tbsp salted capers, thoroughly rinsed
2 tbsp raisins
Olive oil for baking

Method -
Wash and chop the escarole. Cut it into fine pieces. Saute in olive oil. Add crushed red pepper, cover and let steam and sizzle for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir and cook another few minutes until the heavy white ribs are just tender, about 4 or 5 minutes. Add the olives, capers and raisins. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. Cool before using.
At least 30 minutes before baking place an oven rack on the lowest level with a pizza stone and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out the dough and place the filling on one half and fold over the other half. Sealing the edges. Brush the top with olive oil.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes until nicely browned.
Let it rest and cool for 15 minutes before serving.