Servings: 10

INGREDIENTS
FOR COOKING THE BEANS:
1 pound (about 2-1/2 cups) dry cannellini or other small dried white beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked (instructions below)
4 quarts cold water plus more if needed
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons salt plus more if needed

FOR THE GARLICKY SOFFRITTO:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 big cloves garlic, sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino or crushed pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

TO PREPARE THE BEANS
Soak beans overnight, or bring them to a boil in water and let sit for one hour, off the fire.

COOKING THE BEANS

1. Drain the soaked beans and put them in the pot with the water, bay leaves, and olive oil. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. When the water is at a full boil, set the cover ajar, adjust the heat to maintain a steady gentle boiling and cook for an hour more, until the beans are tender.
2. Stir in the salt, uncover and continue cooking at a bubbling boil for another hour or more, until the beans and broth have reduced to 3-quarts. Lower the heat as the liquid evaporates and the soup base thickens, stirring now and then to prevent scorching.

FLAVORING THE BASE WITH THE SOFFRITTO

1. When the soup base is sufficiently reduced, make the soffritto. Heat the olive oil and the sliced garlic in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes or so, shaking the pan now and then, until the slices are sizzling. Drop in the pepper flakes, stir with the garlic and cook another minute or until the garlic is just starting to color.
2. From the soup pot, ladle out a cup of the simmering bean broth and pour it into the skillet. Let it sizzle and start to boil, shake and stir up the soffritto, and cook it for a couple of minutes in the broth. Then pour it all back into the bean pot, scraping in every bit of the soffritto or just rinse the skillet out with more broth. Simmer the soup base for another 5 minutes, with the soffritto, then remove from the heat.
3. The base is ready for a finished soup now or let the whole pot cool; pick out the bay leaves and discard. The soup will keep refrigerated for 3 or 4 days or frozen, in tightly sealed containers, for 4 to 6 months. Don’t forget to leave room for the soup to expand when it freezes.