Venetian Style Pasta Food

VENETIAN-STYLE PASTA

Steps:

• Start frying the onions in the oil in a non-stick frying pan - you'll need to cook them for about 10 mins until they're very soft. Meanwhile, boil the pasta.
• Stir the vinegar, sultanas, capers and most of the pine nuts into the soft onions with some seasoning, then cook for 1 min more to soften the sultanas. Stir in the spinach with a splash of pasta water. Drain the pasta, then toss with the onion mix - the spinach should wilt as you do. Divide between 2 bowls, scatter with the remaining pine nuts and serve.

VENETIAN-STYLE BEAN AND PASTA SOUP

Steps:

• Bring beans and water (10 cups) to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour. (Do not drain beans or discard soaking liquid.)
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, rosemary, and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
• Add beans with soaking liquid and Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (if using) and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours (depending on age of beans), adding more water if necessary to keep beans covered and stirring more frequently toward end of cooking. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup oil and remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Cool, uncovered, 20 minutes.
• Discard rind and coarsely purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring as puréed to a large bowl.
• Return soup to pot and reheat over moderately low heat, stirring frequently and thinning soup as desired with additional water. Season with salt and pepper.
• While soup is reheating, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and pepper to taste.
• To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with spoonfuls of pasta, then drizzle with oil.