Penne pasta with white beans and smoked pork

Ingredients:

• 170 g mezze penne pasta (about 1.5 cups)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 smoked natural pork cutlet (approximately 220 g), cut into pieces
• 1 can (425 g) canned white beans, discard liquid
• 1 cup lightly salted chicken broth
• 0.5 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Set aside 1 cup of the water and discard the rest.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sage and cook until the garlic is light golden and the sage is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the pork, beans with their liquid, and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the pasta and 0.5 cups of the reserved cooking water to the pan with the beans. Stir to distribute evenly, adding more cooking water if needed to thin the sauce. Season with salt and parsley to taste. Divide among plates, drizzle with olive oil, and season with pepper.