Serves 4

10 ounces dried cannellini beans
Pinch of baking soda
1 ham hock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (see note)
1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 pound fresh pasta
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak the beans overnight in cold water with a pinch of baking soda. Rinse well, and put the beans and the ham hock in a pan with 6 cups water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 2 hours until the beans are tender but still have a bite.

In the meantime, make a tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, celery, tomatoes, and chili. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes until cooked down into a sauce. When the beans are nearly cooked, add the tomato sauce. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes. Remove some of the beans, pulse in a food processor until smooth, and return to the pan. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for half its cooking time. Add to the beans to finish cooking in the soup for a few minutes until al dente. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.