Pasta con i Fagioli

Method

Soak the dried borlotti beans overnight, then drain and rinse thoroughly. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot and sauté the diced onion, celery and carrot until softened, approximately 5-6 minutes, then add the minced garlic and chilli flakes, cooking for another minute. Add the drained beans, tinned tomatoes with their juice, vegetable stock and dried rosemary, bringing to a gentle simmer and cooking for approximately 1.5-2 hours until the beans are tender but not disintegrating. In the final 10-12 minutes of cooking, add the ditalini pasta and stir frequently to prevent sticking, cooking until the pasta is al dente. Season generously with salt and black pepper, then serve hot, drizzled with additional olive oil and topped with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.