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Why am I making Pressure Cooker Venetian Pasta and Beans? I already have a Pasta e Fagioli recipe, the classic Italian-American version with white Cannellini beans and small tubes of ditalini pasta. I was in for a Verona surprise my writing workshop in Italy.
We're in the kitchen at Enoteca Della Valpolicella to learn how to make pasta. A massive pot on the side of the stove catches my attention, and I ask "what's that?" The chef says "Pasta e Fagioli" and lifts the lid so we can peek. Through gallons of clear water, I see a layer of tan beans, dappled with white. Brown beans in Pasta e Fagioli? Not Cannellini? What's going on? This is my introduction to regional pasta and beans, Venetian style.
The Italian-American version came from the south of Italy. We're used to Naples style, Pasta e Fagioli Alla Napoletana. The big wave of Italian immigration to the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s was from Southern Italy, and Naples was one of the major ports of departure. That’s where the “Pasta Fazool” name comes from, too - Fasule is Neapolitan for beans.
I’m not in southern Naples, though. I’m in Verona, far to the Northeast. Pasta e Fagioli Alla Veneta is the comfort food of the former Venetian Republic. Here they make it with brown cranberry beans and thin, wide egg noodles.
This humble pot of beans and pasta is why I had to visit Italy. There’s nothing wrong with Italian-American food. It’s fantastic, a regional variation on Italian food, shaped by immigrants adjusting traditional recipes to the bounty of their new homeland. Italian-American food inspired my journey, so I could compare it to Italian cooking in its birthplace. And, like so many things, what I learned is...I have so much to learn. Comparing Italian-American to Italian food is not possible. I'm comparing Italian-American to Neapolitan, Venetian, Tuscan, Roman…so many regions, each with their own local treasures. So many reasons to go back to Italy!
Back home, I make my own pressure cooker version of the recipe, reliving my visit. The instant pot works its bean magic, and I learn what gondoliers have known for ages: Venetians know their Pasta e Fagioli. Here is my recipe for Pressure Cooker Venetian Pasta and Beans, Pasta e Fagioli Alla Veneta. Enjoy!
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Pressure Cooker Venetian Pasta and Beans (Pasta e Fagioli Alla Veneta)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker Venetian Pasta and Beans. Pasta e Fagioli Alla Veneta is hearty Northern Italian comfort food, quick and easy with this Instant Pot recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried borlotti beans (aka cranberry beans)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 stalk celery, minced
- 1 medium carrot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 10 cups water
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 4- to 4.4 ounces pappardelle egg noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces (or extra-wide egg noodles)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Grated pecorino Romano for garnish
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the beans: Sort the borlotti beans, removing broken beans, stones, and any other non-bean material. Rinse the beans and set aside.
- Saute the pancetta and aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pressure cooker pot over sauté mode until the oil is shimmering. (Use medium heat for a stovetop PC). Add the pancetta, onions, celery, carrot, garlic, and tomato paste. Sauté until the onions soften and the tomato paste starts to darken, about 6 minutes.
- Add the beans, water, salt, and rosemary: Stir the borlotti beans and the 10 cups of water into the pot. Add a teaspoon of fine sea salt, the rosemary sprig, and then lock the lid on the pressure cooker.
- Pressure Cook the beans for 40 minutes with a quick pressure release: Pressure cook on high pressure for 40 minutes in an electric pressure cooker (“Manual” or “Pressure Cook” mode in an Instant Pot), or 35 minutes in a stovetop PC. Quick release the pressure in the pot.
- Simmer the pasta, then serve: Remove the lid carefully, opening away from you – even when it’s not under pressure, the steam in the cooker is very hot. Set the cooker to sauté mode adjusted to high (medium-high heat), cover (but don't lock the lid), and bring to a simmer. Stir the pasta into the simmering beans and cook for 6 minutes, or the time on the pasta package. Stir in 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Serve, sprinkling with grated pecorino Romano at the table.
Notes
My grocery stores sell pappardelle noodles in 8.8-ounce boxes, and each box has 4 nests of pasta. I use half of the package, two of the nests, and crumble the pasta into bite-sized pieces. (Whole pappardelle noodles are way too long to eat in a bean soup.)
Can’t find pappardelle noodles? Any flat, wide egg noodle will do. They're not "authentic Italian," but my local grocery stores carry lots of different brands of wide and extra-wide egg noodles, which don't need to be broken into pieces because they are already cut into short lengths for soup. Use 4 ounces - roughly 2 cups - of wide or extra-wide egg noodles.
Can’t find pancetta? Substitute 4 ounces of bacon.
I don’t soak the beans; it’s not necessary. If you do soak them overnight, cut the cooking time under pressure to about 15 minutes.
Tools
6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
Instant Pot glass lid (makes covering the pot to simmer the pasta easier)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
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Related Posts
Looking for some other Italian bean soups from your Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot Minestrone Soup, Pressure Cooker Pasta and Bean Soup (Pasta e Fagioli, aka Pasta Fazool), or Pressure Cooker Tuscan Bean Soup.
If you're looking to top pasta with a ragu, try Pressure Cooker Italian Meat Sauce.
Looking for something else? Check out my Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Recipes Index.
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Jeff Winett says
I had my way with your recipe last night, and it was nothing short of fantastic! I halved your recipe and used a 3 quart Instant Pot. My only mishap actually led to a discovery. Perhaps my cranberry beans were old, but after releasing pressure, and simmering the added pasta, my beans were not yet fully tender. I ended up putting everything into a saucepan and simmered stovetop until the beans were fully tender. My discovery was that all of the extra simmer time did no harm whatsoever to the egg pappardelle. What a wonderful and forgiving dish this was! Thank you Mike, for this one.
Alessia says
Amazing recipe! My cousin who lives in Padua sent me her recipe (unfortunately not translated) so this was a great find! It’s exactly as I remember her recipe. Thank you.
Mike Vrobel says
You’re welcome!
Laura P. says
BTW, since you can't make it to Italy all the time - this is a great blog for experiencing traditional Italian food. Franco is a master of translating authentic Italian cooking to the reader - and a pretty good photographer too.
http://memoriediangelina.com/
Ciao,
L
Ann says
Memories of Angelina is also one of my favorites - a lovely blog I,ve followed for years.
Laura P. says
Very nice, Mike! Not to be nit-picky but It should either be "from Veneto" or "alla Veneziana" as "Venitian" means from Venice and "Veneta" means of Veneto region. But since this was inspired by a trip to Verona... maybe it should be "alla Veronese"? ; )
Ciao,
L
Razzy 7 says
Looks delicious. I see that Mike is using beans from Rancho Gordo. I heartily recommend any bean from Rancho Gordo. If you're interested in their cranberry beans, check here: https://www.ranchogordo.com/collections/heirloom-beans/products/cranberry-bean
Mike, what pasta and brand did you use? It doesn't look like any pappardelle I've ever seen.
Mike Vrobel says
I used Gia Russa Egg Pappardelle: https://amzn.to/2l9X5G1 in the pictures, as well as a couple of other brands while testing.