Pasta with Cece Beans and Clams

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
Dried cece beans, soaked 1 cup
Olive oil 3/4 cup
Garlic, crushed 4 cloves
Fresh rosemary, chopped 1 teaspoon
Red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon
Little neck clams, washed 16
Ditalini pasta 1 cup
Fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons
   
Method of Preparation:

1. Soak the cece beans in hot water for 2 hours. Drain.
2. Place the beans in the pan and add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 2 cloves of the crushed garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes and 5 cups of water.
3. Simmer the beans until very tender. Remove half of them and using a fork, mash to a paste. Add this back to the remaining beans and set aside.
4. In a skillet, heat the remaining oil until hot and add the clams and remaining crushed garlic. When the garlic is browned, remove it and let the clams open. Set aside.
5. Have some water boiling and cook the pasta until just tender. Add it to the beans and clams and add some of the pasta water to make a semi-thick soup. Add the parsley and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve at once.

Cooking with Class airs on NBC 10 and is hosted by Chef Frank Terranova, an associate instructor at Johnson & Wales University. “Pasta Week,“ aired during the week of April 23, 2007.