- 1 cup dried borlotti or cranberry beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked and drained
- Salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 1/2 pound tubetti, mezzi rigatoni or other pasta
- 12 pitted oil-cured black olives
- Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
- In a medium saucepan, cover the beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 hours. Keep adding water as necessary so the beans are always submerged in 1 inch of water. Remove them from the heat and season with salt. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
- Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and oregano and cook for 3 minutes. Add the beans and 1/4 cup of their cooking liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup more of the bean cooking liquid and simmer for 3 minutes. Season with salt.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well.
- Add the pasta to the beans along with another 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Simmer for 1 minute and add the olives. Add more cooking liquid if necessary to coat the pasta and beans with a sauce. Ladle into bowls and serve, passing the pecorino and olive oil at the table.