Pasta è Fagiole è Scarola — Soup with Beans, Bow Ties and Escarole

Author Notes

I lived in the Italian North End of Boston for six years. During that time I came to think of food in the Italian manner – shopping daily and formulating my menus from what was best in the market. This soup is typical of those dishes I developed during that time. In order to make this centerpiece soup, you will need to have a great-quality chicken stock on hand. To complete the meal, all it takes is a fabulous loaf of Italian-style crusty bread and a bottle of delicious Barbera d’Asti. Buon Appetito! —ChefJune

Ingredients

• 
  1
  
  large red onion, chopped
  
  
• 
  2
  
  large garlic cloves, chopped
  
  
• 
  4 tablespoons
  
  olive oil
  
  
• 
  1 ¹/₂ pounds
  
  (shelled) fresh shell (Cranberry) beans (or 1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight)
  
  
• 
  ¹/₂ pound
  
  prosciutto end piece, chopped (bribe it from your Italian deli man!)
  
  
• 
  4 cups
  
  chicken stock (preferably homemade)
  
  
• 
  2 cups
  
  cold water
  
  
• 
  1 teaspoon
  
  rubbed sage
  
  
• 
  2 teaspoons
  
  sea salt
  
  
• 
  ¹/₃ teaspoon
  
  crushed red pepper flakes
  
  
• 
  16
  
  fresh basil leaves, torn
  
  

• 
  Freshly ground pepper
  
  

• 
  2 pounds
  
  fresh escarole, chiffonaded
  
  
• 
  1 pound
  
  farfalle (bowties)
  
  

• 
  a chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for grating