Move over, cannellini. This pasta e fagioli has a renegade bean

One key to its success was the beans he used — pale yellow Peruanos from Mexico by way of Peru instead of the more traditional Italian cannellini beans. “They’re so smooth and creamy,” he told writer Margy Rochlin. “When you cook them, there’s a sweetness behind these beans. [They] have an oomph to them, a depth of flavor.”

You can, of course, use cannellini beans for this recipe, but Peruanos are affordable and easily available in Latino supermarkets throughout California. Instead of San Marzano or plum tomatoes, Uditi uses piennolo tomatoes, which are oval, a bit larger than cherry tomatoes and distinguished by their pointed tip.

If your supermarket doesn’t have them, mail-order sources such as Gustiamo or Amazon sell them jarred. You can also use canned cherry tomatoes. To finish the beans, Uditi stirs in aglio sfritto — garlic sizzled or fried in oil with Calabrian chile.

It adds an extra dimension of flavor. Read Margy Rochlin’s full story on Peruano beans, which includes two more recipes that use the pale yellow legume.

Super-affordable and sold in bulk, Peruano beans are what Pizzana’s Danilele Uditi prefers over cannellini beans for his pasta e fagioli. Mexican cookbook author Pati Jinich loves them too

Daniele Uditi’s Pasta e Fagioli With Peruano Beans

Cook the beans: Place the peruano beans in a large pot and cover generously with water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 2 hours until the beans are fully tender. Season with salt toward the end of cooking and lift the beans into a separate bowl with a slotted spoon or spider skimmer, then set aside.

Reserve the cooking liquid to serve as your broth later. Build the base: Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot.

Add the sliced garlic, chopped parsley and Calabrian chile paste. Cook gently until the garlic turns light golden, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the mixture reduces and becomes thick and concentrated, 5 to 7 minutes. Marry the beans and base: Combine the cooked beans and approximately 1 liter (4 cups) of the reserved bean water in a large pot.

Bring the beans and base slowly to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cook on low for 1 hour to allow the ingredients to emulsify. Turn off the heat and let the beans rest in the pot for 1 to 2 hours.

This Neapolitan technique deepens the flavor and enhances the natural creaminess. Cook the pasta: Bring the pot of beans back to a boil.

Add the pasta mista and cook directly in the beans and broth, adding more bean broth (or hot water or vegetable broth) if needed. Stir often to release the starch and create a risotto-like texture. Make the Aglio Sfritto and serve: Heat olive oil in a small pan and gently fry the garlic and Calabrian chile paste until fragrant.

Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley. Pour this over the pasta e fagioli still in the large pot, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Before serving, uncover the pot and stir vigorously to emulsify. The dish should be creamy, glossy and slightly loose. Serve in bowls, drizzle with additional olive oil and garnish with herbs.