Goal: Make the perfect bean soup: creamy tender beans in a broth perfumed with the fragrance of garlic and rosemary.

Solution: Toss all those rules about how to prepare dried beans—don't bother with presoaking, do add salt—and use pancetta for the broth and infuse it with rosemary.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP
Makes about 21/2 quarts, serving 6 to 8

If possible, use fresh dried beans in this soup. For a more authentic soup, place a small slice of lightly toasted Italian bread in the bottom of each bowl and ladle the soup over. To make this a vegetarian soup, omit the pancetta and add a 4-ounce piece of Parmesan rind to the pot along with the halved onion and unpeeled garlic in step 1.

6 ounces pancetta, one 1-inch-thick slice, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound dried cannellini beans, rinsed and picked over
1 large onion, unpeeled and halved pole to pole,
plus 1 small onion, diced medium
4 medium unpeeled garlic cloves, plus 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Balsamic vinegar, for serving

1. In large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 12 cups water, beans, halved onion, unpeeled garlic, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover pot partially; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are almost tender, 1 to 11/4 hours. Remove beans from heat, cover, and let stand until beans are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid (you should have about 5 cups; if not, add more water); discard pancetta, onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Spread beans in even layer on baking sheet and cool.
2. While beans are cooling, heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering; add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cooled beans and cooking liquid; increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Submerge rosemary sprig in liquid, cover and let stand off heat 15 to 20 minutes. Discard rosemary sprig and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve, passing balsamic vinegar separately.

WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH
WINTER VEGETABLES
Makes about 4 quarts, serving 10 to 12

1. Follow recipe for Tuscan White Bean Soup through step 1, adding enough water to reserved bean cooking liquid to equal 9 cups. While beans are cooking, cut 2 small carrots and 2 celery ribs into medium dice; slice white and light green parts of 2 small leeks, washed thoroughly, crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Remove stems from 4 ounces kale and 4 ounces escarole and cut leaves into 1/2-inch strips (you should have about 3 cups each). Peel and cut 2 small boiling potatoes into medium dice.
2. In step 2, add carrot, celery, and leeks to Dutch oven along with diced onion and cook until vegetables are softened but not browned, about 7 minutes; stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bean cooking liquid, kale, and escarole to pot. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes. Add potatoes and one 141/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained; cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add cooled beans; increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Add rosemary; cover and let stand off heat 15 to 20 minutes. Discard rosemary, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve.

QUICK TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP
Makes about 2 quarts, serving 6

This quick variation uses canned beans and can be on the table in just 40 minutes.

6 ounces pancetta, one 1-inch-thick slice, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
1 small onion, diced medium
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
Salt and ground black pepper
4 cans (151/2 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Balsamic vinegar, for serving

In large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes; discard pancetta and add oil to pot with pancetta fat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes; stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 1/2 cups water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Submerge rosemary in liquid; cover and let stand off heat 15 to 20 minutes. Discard rosemary and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve, passing balsamic vinegar separately.