Pasta Fagiole Number Three: The New Classic

A cozy pasta e fagioli-style dish with Italian sausage, beans, tomatoes, rosemary, and chile flakes, finished with cheese and optional breadcrumbs for a rich, juicy sauce.

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Step 1

Fill a large pot (at least 6 quarts/L) with 1 gallon (4 L) of water; add 4 tablespoons (40 g) kosher salt, cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil while you make your sauce. If the water begins to boil before your sauce is ready, turn down the heat, but don’t let the volume of the pasta water reduce by boiling off.

Step 2

Shape the sausage into 2 patties. Heat a glug of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and sear, smashing the patties down to create a nicely browned crust on the bottom, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Flip the patties, add the garlic and chile flakes, and cook until the sausage has browned and the garlic is toasted and soft (but not too dark), another 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 4

Add the tomato paste and cook, smearing it onto the surface of the pan, until it has darkened slightly, another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices, the rosemary, a splash of water from the pasta pot, and the beans, then simmer, breaking up the sausage and garlic into smaller bits with the spatula, until thickened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Move the skillet off the heat.

Step 5

Bring the pasta water (back) to a boil, add the noodles, and set your timer for 2 minutes less than the shortest suggested cooking time on the package of pasta; this will ideally be 2 minutes before the pasta is al dente. Stir the noodles several times during the first 2 minutes of cooking to prevent them from sticking to the pot.

Step 6

When the timer goes off, start tasting the noodles. When they seem like they are 1 1/2 to 2 minutes away from a perfect al dente (see page 22), drain and transfer them to the sauce using your preferred method (see page 21), reserving at least 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water.

Step 7

Slide the skillet back onto medium heat and finish cooking the noodles, tossing and adding plenty of splashes of pasta water (or plain hot water, if things are getting salty) until the noodles are perfectly al dente and the sauce is nicely juicy. If the sauce seems watery, simmer for another few seconds to tighten it up, bearing in mind that the cheese will thicken it.

Step 8

Reduce the heat to very low. Add the grated cheese and toss to emulsify it with the other sauce ingredients, adding splashes of pasta water if needed to keep the consistency creamy and prevent the cheese from clumping. Taste and add more salt or chile flakes if you like.

Step 9

Divide the pasta between two or three warm bowls, top with the breadcrumbs, if using, drizzle with a bit of good olive oil, and sprinkle with a bit more cheese. Serve right away.