Neapolitan Pasta and Beans

Method

1. Soak cannellini beans in plenty of cold water for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse.
2. Place the beans in a pot with fresh cold water and a couple of bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2–3 hours without adding salt.
3. About 20 minutes before the beans are done, prepare the pork rind: scrape the surface, blanch it briefly, let it cool, then cut into thin strips.
4. Finely chop the celery.
5. In a separate pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil, add garlic cloves and the chopped celery. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then remove the garlic cloves.
6. Add peeled tomatoes, crushing them by hand directly into the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes.
7. Drain the cooked beans (reserve some cooking water) and add them to the tomato sauce. Remove the bay leaves. Optionally blend a portion of the beans for extra creaminess.
8. Add some of the reserved bean cooking water, then the pork rind strips. Bring to a boil.
9. Add the pasta (tubetti, broken spaghetti, or mixed pasta). Season with salt and cook until al dente.
10. Turn off the heat and let the pasta rest in the pot for a few minutes to become creamy.
11. Serve with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.