Mezze Penne with Baby Squid on a Navy Bean Purée

A delightful combination of mezze penne pasta with tender baby squid served on a creamy navy bean purée.

Cook time: 90 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 5.25 oz dried navy beans soaked overnight
• 5.25 oz soffritto mix finely diced celery, carrot, and onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 leaves sage leaves
• 0 water as needed
• 3.75 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 leaf sage leaf
• 0 extra virgin olive oil for cooking
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 clove garlic unpeeled
• 8.75 oz baby squid cleaned and finely chopped
• 11 oz mezze penne
• 0 salt for boiling water
• 0 water for boiling
• 2.75 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 0 freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the pre-soaked navy beans. Add them to a large pan along with the soffritto mix, 1 clove of garlic, and 2 sage leaves. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for around 1 hour, adding more water if needed.
2. Add salt to the beans towards the end of the cooking time. Set the pan aside once cooked.
3. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan with 1 garlic clove, a sprig of rosemary, and 1 sage leaf. Strain the oil after a few minutes and add to the beans. Blend the mixture to a purée.
4. In another pan, heat some olive oil, then brown the parsley sprig and the last unpeeled garlic clove. Add the finely chopped squid and cook for a few moments.
5. Meanwhile, cook the mezze penne in plenty of salted, boiling water according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain and add to the pan with the squid, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
6. Spread the navy bean purée on serving plates, place the pasta in the center, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and toasted pine nuts. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.