Soup ingredients:
1 cup dried fagioli di Lamon, borlotti or cranberry beans
4 oz. guanciale, chopped
10 cups cold water
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3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for serving
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
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1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium potato, whole, peeled
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. dried tagliatelle or fettuccine egg pasta, broken up
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving
Crispy polenta ingredients
4 cups water
1 cup Italian cornmeal
1 Tbsp sea salt
2 cups of oil for frying
Soak beans in cold water for at least 8 hours, then drain and discard the water. Rinse under cold water and drain again.
To prepare the crispy polenta, bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat and let rest for 1 minute. Slowly add cornmeal and whisk until there are no lumps. Turn heat to medium and bring polenta to a simmer while stirring gently. Turn the heat very low and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer polenta to a 9x13-inch (¼ size) sheet pan and set aside to cool.
To make the soup, in a heavy 6-quart soup pot or casserole over high heat, add beans, guanciale, vegetables and cold water. When the water begins to boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, about 1½ hours, until the beans are very tender.
Transfer half of the soup and the whole potato to a blender or food processor, or use a food mill or immersion hand blender, and process until almost smooth. (It’s okay to have some texture in the soup.) Return pureed beans to the pot and season the blended soup mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut polenta into small cubes, dredge in cornmeal and deep fry in a 350* oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Bring soup to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, 3 to 5 minutes, until the pasta is tender but firm to the bite (al dente).
Divide soup into individual serving bowls, drizzle with olive oil and add freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to each serving; top with crispy polenta cubes.
