Pasta e Fagioli
While not traditional, this Pasta e Fagioli uses ground beef in the recipe.
Italy's version of a bean soup. Pasta e fagioli (pronounced "pasta fazool" in South Philly) literaly means "pasta and beans", it was a traditional peasant dish loaded with carbohydrates to fill poor family members in times of recession. Italians make this hearty soup with fresh beans when in season. In the winter, dried beans are first soaked and then cooked.
The pasta used is a small tubular macaroni called ditalini. Today it can be found in most Italian restaurants and is made often in most Italian American households. Modern recipes call for Italian pancetta or prosciutto. Being a peasant dish earlier recipe versions might not have contained these costly extra ingredients unless they were scraps.
For those of you who are wondering, a woman from northern Italy posted on the Internet that "the main difference between pasta e fagioli and minestrone is that minestrone has lots of different vegetables in it, pasta e fagioli has beans -- with onion and/or garlic for flavour, usually rosemary, and sometimes tomato -- but no other veg."
Pasta e Fagioli
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1/4 cup diced pancetta (or substitute bacon)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped zucchini (spinach is good in winter)
2-4 cloves garlic – minced
2 (15 ounce) cans white beans – drained and rinsed (cannellini are traditional) [I would not drain them; the juice will help thicken the soup. Use low sodium]
2 cups canned, peeled tomatoes in sauce
2 cups water
1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock
1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta
Place the olive oil into a large stock pot. Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add the pancetta, and cook until it starts to brown slightly.
Add the bay leaves, then stir in the oregano, thyme and rosemary.
Add the onion, carrots and zucchini, and sauté for 5-7 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Stir in the beans, tomatoes, water and chicken stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the pasta.
Turn the heat down to medium and cook for approximately 8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
Remove the bay leaves from the soup, and serve immediately. Crusty Italian bread or garlic toast and a simple green salad of romaine and radicchio round out this meal.
Leftover pasta e fagioli can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to one month.
? servings
Fire-Roasted Pasta e Fagioli
from https://www.foodandwine.com/
This version has all the vegetables, pasta, and beans you expect from the classic dish, with an extra touch. Charring tomatoes and peppers with a quick stint under the broiler gives this soupy stew its heady, fire-roasted flavor. Sop up this hearty Italian soup with crusty garlic bread.
Notes: Covering the hot broiled peppers and tomatoes with plastic wrap creates a steamy environment that helps lift the peels or skins from the vegetable easily.
1 pound plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise (about 4 tomatoes)
1 medium (8-ounce) red bell pepper, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 (4-ounce) package diced pancetta (1/2 cup)
1 medium (8-ounce) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 large (5-ounce) carrot, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups cooked and drained borlotti or red kidney beans
1 cup uncooked dried ditalini pasta (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Preheat oven to broil with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Toss together tomatoes, bell pepper, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt on an aluminum foil–lined small rimmed baking sheet until coated. Arrange tomatoes and bell pepper in an even layer. Broil in preheated oven, turning halfway through cooking time, until charred, about 12 minutes. Transfer tomatoes and bell pepper with juices to a medium heatproof bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard tomato and bell pepper skins. Chop bell pepper; set aside. Crush tomatoes using the back of a spoon, and reserve with juices in bowl. Set aside.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium. Add pancetta, and cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and pancetta is beginning to crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a paper towel–lined plate to drain; reserve rendered fat in Dutch oven. Add onion to fat in Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add carrot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrot is softened and onion begins to brown, about 6 minutes, adding garlic during final 2 minutes of cooking time. Stir in reserved crushed tomatoes and juices, chopped bell pepper, broth, black pepper, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; bring to a boil over medium. Stir in beans and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in basil and reserved pancetta. Garnish with additional oil and basil.
6 servings
Classic Pasta e Fagioli
from https://www.ranchogordo.com/
We are calling this a classic version of Pasta e Fagioli but there’s a good chance your Italian grandmother wouldn’t agree. She would add a little more of this and a little less of that. But this version, from Baia Pasta’s Dario Barbone, re-ignited my love for this dish. With good beans, good pasta and good vegetables, the rich, clear broth makes it unique. I don’t want to oversell this but it’s just plain delicious and I haven’t stopped making it.
3 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Cranberry or Borlotti beans, or white beans such as Royal Corona or Marcella
4 cups bean broth from the cooked beans (If you have less than four cups, make up the difference with broth)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 ounces pancetta, cubed or roughly chopped (optional)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 carrot, minced or sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 rosemary sprig
8 ounces good-quality pasta (we like shells or tubular shapes)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
As you prepare the beans, make sure you have plenty of liquid on hand when they are done as this will be the basis for your sauce.
While the beans are cooking, prepare the sofrito. In a medium-sized pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. If using pancetta: Slowly fry the pancetta until fragrant and chewy. Once cooked, remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and let rest on a paper towel. If needed, add more olive oil so there is enough fat to fry the aromatic vegetables. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is turning golden colored. Add the tomato paste and pepper flakes (if using) and cook for a few minutes until the paste is heated through and the tomato flavor is intensified.
Add the bean broth and rosemary sprig and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking on a gentle simmer for 15 minutes or so. The liquid should start to reduce.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large stockpot in salted water according to package directions. Drain.
Add the drained pasta, beans, and reserved pancetta (if using) to the sofrito mixture, mix well, and gently cook for a few minutes to marry the various flavors. Remove the rosemary sprig.
Serve immediately with a splash of peppery extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of parsley, if desired. Pass around a bowl of grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese for the guests to help themselves.
Serves 4 to 6
