Recipes for Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried white beans.
• 1 cup of olive oil.
• A whole clove of garlic, unshelled.
• 1 bay leaf.
• 1 teaspoon or more crushed or ground hot red pepper.
• fresh parsley
• 1/2 pound of small diameter macaroni, whole wheat is best.
• salt to taste.

Instructions

1. Put washed beans in salted water, 3 parts to 1 part beans.
2. Soak overnight OR bring to boil, boil 2 minutes and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.
3. Do not drain beans, but bring to a boil.
4. Skim off foam and add oil, garlic and bay leaf.
5. Simmer for about 2 hours, or until tender.
6. Cook pasta for 6 or 7 minutes, but don’t let it get too soft.
7. Drain pasta & save some of the water.
8. Stir pasta & red pepper into beans and simmer until pasta is eatably soft, adding some of the saved water if necessary.
9. Garnish with red pepper to taste and parsley.

Tips

• Beans: Use whichever sort is the favorite in your neighborhood and likely to be freshest. In Southern California that would be pinto beans, in the deep South, blackeyed peas or perhaps butter beans. Garbanzos might be good. Navy beans are always safe.

• Olive Oil: Use the best grade you can get: Cold pressed, Extra Virgin.

• With a salad and some red wine this is a hearty meal, and can be eaten the next day, cold or reheated.