The recipe for this pasta with beans and ham is really very good. But not only. In fact, it is a recipe from Lazio that was well known until a few decades ago. with the name of pasta with beans and chicharron (or crusts: the two terms are synonyms). With an important added value given by the tasty and special flavor of chicharrón. Which in this case are exclusively the raw ham rindsthat butchers cut and discard so they can cut it into slices.
As is known, once nothing was thrown away and there were queues to (almost) give away the discarded shells. Which in Rome were used to prepare pasta with beans, or “frijoles con chicharrón”.
Today Pork rinds have been banned., for health and food issues. Very valid reasons, of course, which however would have no reason to exist… if they were used in moderation. And especially if they were prepared in the appropriate way, that is eliminating almost all the fat (the sebum) that remains attached to it. But, once the sebum is properly removed, only the skin, the bark, remains. That is, a substance low in fat and rich in collagen (which becomes gelatinous when boiled), proteins and also specific vitamins and minerals.
In the Po Valley the use and sale of pork rinds has never ceased. But it must be said that for some years also in the rest of Italy the large supermarkets have been offering them again, often cleaned in the best way.
However, if you want to try the flavor and purchases at the delicatessen again, proceed as follows to cook them in the best possible way. Let them soak in cold water for an hour, then scrape the outside to remove any hair or other dirt. Remove remaining tallow as desired. Finally, we blanch them for 15 minutes in unsalted water (to desalinize them) and then cut them into tiny strips.
The long introduction about the pork rinds was to clarify that in our case we do not use them, replacing them with one greater amount of fatty raw ham. For the doses indicated in our recipe, in fact, According to traditional recipe books we should have used 170 g of pork rinds and 30 g of fatty ham. Us we remove the rind and fold the hamchoosing a very fat cut. In this way, the flavor of the dish maintains all the roundness that the fat gives it, losing that gelatinous quality that is no longer appreciated as before. In addition, the recipe is simplified, because objectively, in cities, finding pork rinds is not always easy.
We conclude with a general note on thefinal addition of cheesewhich is not included in the original recipe.
Let’s be clear: obviously personal tastes always apply in these things. So it goes without saying that anyone who wants can add cheese by the kilo.
But the rules are there, reported in cooking school manuals. They have senses? Yes, because they are based on the experience of great chefs and the flavor that tradition transmits to us. That is, the daily choices that tens and tens of millions of Italians have made for centuries.
According to these rules Pasta recipes with beans are divided into two broad categories: those seasoned with butter or other animal fat; those seasoned with oil.
For recipes of this last type (with oil) the rule is to complete the dish with just a splash of raw oil and freshly ground pepper. Pasta recipes with beans of the first type (with lard) instead require the addition of aged cheese, with or without pepper. That is why in the following recipe we recommend adding a little parmesan.
- 280 g semolina pasta (such as ditalini or razor clams)
- 140 g dried beans (or 400 g fresh or frozen beans)
- 70 g fatty raw ham, cut very thick
- 350 peeled tomatoes
- 50 g grated parmesan
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 7-8 basil leaves
- Pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Cook the beans to perfection, leaving them slightly al dente.
If they are dried beans, keep them soaked for at least 12 hours. Then drain them and put them in plenty cold water without salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for the necessary time. However, whether the beans are fresh or frozen immerse them in plenty boiling water without salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for the necessary time. In both cases Salt the water only when the beans are almost cooked. Then let the beans cool in their water and drain them only when they have cooled, without throwing away the cooking water (there should be at least a liter left, which will remain very hot). - Chop the ham into small cubes and fry it in a saucepan with 2-3 tablespoons of oil, along with the chopped garlic and onion. Let dry over low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the tomatoes, bring to the boil and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the beans, sprinkle with 1 liter of cooking water, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
- When the beans are very tender, remove half or a little more with a slotted spoon. Mash this half into a pulp and then pour it into the pan along with the pasta. Season with salt and pepper and let it boil until the pasta is cooked, adding, if necessary, more boiling water from cooking the beans. Two minutes before removing the pan from the heat, season the soup with chopped basil leaves.
- Finally, serve the pasta with beans in a bowl, completing the individual bowls with a tablespoon of grated parmesan and a splash of raw oil.