Cooking is a hobby of Dr. Gail Linn. Over the years our patients have shared their recipes with Dr. Linn, our staff and other patients. We are posting these recipes online in a special section of our website, called Patient’s Corner, where you can view these recipes and other playful activities.

This dish is classic Tuscan cuisine: "Risotto meets pasta e fagioli in this Tuscan classic."

Creamy Spaghetti and Beans

Ingredients:

• 5 to 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 pound chunk pancetta chopped into small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into a small dice
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 (15-ounce) can Roman beans or small white beans (recommended: Goya brand)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine, eyeball it
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

Place the stock in a sauce pot and warm it over medium heat then reduce to simmer.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat.  Add the pancetta to brown slightly.

Next add the garlic and spaghetti and toast the noodles lightly, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add onions and carrots, bay and thyme and season with salt and pepper.  Soften veggies a bit, 5 minutes.  Add wine and allow it to be completely absorbed.  Add beans then add a few ladles of stock and stir the pasta.  Keep adding stock a few ladles at a time allowing liquids to be mostly absorbed before adding more, as if you were preparing a risotto.

When liquids are absorbed and spaghetti is cooked to al dente, 12-15 minutes, stir in cheese.  Adjust salt and pepper.  Turn off heat and stir another minute.  Remove the bay and thyme stems.

Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with lots of parsley.