Pasta e fagioli

Uses 4 cups of Sunday's beans, 4 cups of their broth, and the parmesan rind

Italy's pasta and bean soup, thick enough for the spoon to stand. Half the beans are mashed, so the broth turns creamy without any cream.

35 min · serves 4

You need

• 4 cups cooked white beans and 4 cups of their broth (from Sunday)
• The parmesan rind (from Sunday)
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more to serve
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 8 oz ditalini
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Grated parmesan, to serve

How to make it

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and a pinch of salt and cook 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft.
2. Add the garlic, rosemary and pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Then add the beans, their broth, the water and the parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer.
4. Scoop out about 2 cups of the beans and liquid, mash them with a fork or blend them, and stir them back in. This thickens the soup.
5. Add the pasta and simmer, stirring often so it doesn't stick, 9 to 11 minutes, until tender. If it gets too thick, add water ½ cup at a time; it should be thick but still a soup.
6. Take out the rosemary sprig and the rind. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a swirl of olive oil and grated parmesan.

It thickens as it sits. Loosen leftovers with water when you reheat them.