Creamy Cannellini Pasta with Spicy Salami and Walnut Topping

Name: Creamy Cannellini Pasta with Spicy Salami and Walnut Topping
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 175g penne, farfalle or conchiglie; 3-4 tbsp olive oil; 2 garlic cloves; 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked; 1x400g can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 60ml (1/4 cup) white wine; 180g (2 cups) chopped cavolo nero; 85ml (1/3 cup) chicken or vegetable stock; 2 tbsp butter; Sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper; Shaved pecorini or Parmesan cheese, to serve; 50g sliced salami, cut into thin strips; 1 garlic clove; 2 tbsp walnuts, chopped; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp nduja

9 steps

Cook:10min

This is a creamy pasta sauce without any cream: the velvety texture of the cannellini beans and the starchy pasta water combine to coat the pasta without needing any dairy to bind it. The salami and walnut topping is optional, as the pasta is really great without it, and including it might push you over the ten-minute mark, but it does make the dish extra delicious.

Updated at: Wed, 16 Aug 2023 16:54:07 GMT

Nutrition balance score

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Ingredients

2 servings

175gpenne

farfalle or conchiglie

3 Tbspolive oil

2garlic cloves

2 sprigsrosemary

leaves picked

1 x 400gcannellini beans

can, drained and rinsed

60mlwhite wine

180gcavolo nero

chopped

85mlchicken stock

or vegetable

2 Tbspbutter

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

pecorini cheese

Shaved, or Parmesan, to serve

50gsalami

sliced, cut into thin strips

1garlic clove

2 Tbspwalnuts

chopped

2 Tbspolive oil

1 Tbspnduja

Instructions

Step 1

Fill the kettle with water and bring to the boil. Pour it into a saucepan, season with salt and return to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8-9 minutes, until al dente.

Step 2

Meanwhile, place a large saucepan or flameproof casserole dish (Dutch oven) over a medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

Step 3

While the oil is heating, peel and crush (mince) or grate the garlic and chop the rosemary, then add them to the oil and fry for 20-30 seconds.

Step 4

Add the beans to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until they start to caramelise, stirring with a wooden spoon to stop them catching.

Step 5

Add the wine and bring to the boil, regularly scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine is reduced by about half.

Step 6

Meanwhile, prepare the salami and walnut topping: place a frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat and fry the salami for 1 minute. Peel and finely grate the garlic, then add to the pan along with the walnuts and olive oil and cook for 2 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Stir through the nduja and allow to cook until the liquid has totally reduced, then remove from the heat.

Step 7

Using a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, roughly mash most of the beans, then add the cavolo nero and stock to the pan and bring to the boil.

Step 8

Drain the pasta, reserving half a mug of the water. Add the pasta and butter to the beans and toss well, adding a little more stock if you want to thin the sauce, or some of the pasta water to enhance the creaminess.

Step 9

Divide between two bowls and dress with the pecorino or Parmesan shavings and the salami and walnut topping.