Step 1
Place the onion, carrots and celery in a food processor and blitz until the vegies resemble a chunky paste.
Step 2
Place a medium-sized pot over medium heat, add the oil and then the speck or pancetta, if using. Sizzle for a minute or two to render a little. Add the vegetable paste along with a good pinch of salt and cook until super-soft and jammy (about 20-30 minutes). Reduce the heat to low if the mixture is browning too quickly. Add the tomato paste and herbs and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 3
Add the drained beans, stock and parmesan rind. Bring to a vigorous simmer for about 15 minutes and season well with salt and black pepper.
Step 4
Turn off the heat and remove the parmesan rind. Carefully use a stick blender or stand-up blender to thicken the soup. Place the blender blade all the way into the mixture and pulse it a few times to puree some, but not all, of the beans. This will give you a thicker, richer broth. (Alternatively, ladle about one-third of the bean mixture into a stand-up blender, blend until smooth and then return to the pot and stir.)
Step 5
Add the dried pasta to the bean mixture, and cook on a medium heat until the pasta is al dente. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 6
Divide the stew between four bowls. Serve with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, more cracked pepper and grated parmigiano reggiano, then garnish with crispy, fried sage leaves, if desired.
