Pasta with beans

Ingredients:

• 450 g dry white beans, such as cannellini
• 110 g of salted lard, rinsed, dried and cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 450 g of mixed pasta in various shapes, such as rigatoni, penne rigate, or shells
• Pecorino Romano cheese, for sprinkling

Preparation:

1. The day before cooking, sort the beans and discard any small, cracked, or shriveled ones. Place the beans in a saucepan or jar large enough to cover them with at least 7 cm of water. Leave the beans in a cool place or in the refrigerator overnight to plump up.
2. The next day, drain the beans in a colander, reserving the liquid. Then transfer the beans to a medium saucepan with enough water to cover by at least 2 inches (5 cm), about from your fingertip to your knuckle. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam, until the beans are tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Add more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged in liquid. When the beans are done, turn off the heat, add 1.5 teaspoons of salt, and stir; set aside.
3. Place the lard in a medium saucepan, heat over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 12 minutes. Remove the lard from the pan and discard. Retain only 2 tablespoons of fat; drain the rest. Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook until darkened, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the bean cooking water and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the beans, add them to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Add as many types of pasta as you like, as long as the cooking time is within 2 minutes (+/-). Drain the pasta in a colander, discarding 2 cups of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the beans with their liquid, and the pasta cooking water. Season with 2-3 teaspoons of black pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and grate some Pecorino cheese on top, if using.