Italian · Mains
Creamy White Beans With Pecorino and Pancetta
These superfast, incredibly delicious beans are inspired by pasta alla gricia, a classic Roman dish similar to pasta carbonara but without the egg yolks. Cut into fat batons, the pork crisps up into chewy, salty little nuggets that contrast with the soft beans. The starch from the beans along with the fat from the pancetta plus Pecorino cheese and hot water all emulsify into a creamy, peppery sauce when stirred together vigorously.
Ingredients
Serves 3- 2 tbspolive oil
- 4 ozpancetta, sliced into batons
- 5garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
- 3 canswhite beans, drained
- 2 tbsplemon juice (from about 0.5 lemon)
- ½ cup/10.75 oz grated Pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 tspblack pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ cuphot water
Method
- 01
In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until some of the fat has rendered and the pancetta is starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the pancetta is crisped and brown and the garlic is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes more.
- 02
Increase the heat to medium-high, stir in the beans and lemon juice, and cook, stirring, until the beans are hot, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the Pecorino, black pepper and hot water. Stir vigorously until the sauce is creamy and emulsified, about 1 minute. Serve immediately, topped with more pepper and Pecorino.