Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli (2)

Hi Joel,

I posted two recipes for what you are looking for. It is Italian and most people pronounce it pasta fazoole. It sure doesn't look like how you would pronounce it though!

Pasta e Fagioli

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small carrot, grated
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 pound prosciutto, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups tomato juice
2 cups red beans
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons white sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (16 ounce) package ditalini pasta

In a large stock pot, saute onions, carrots, celery, garlic and ham in olive oil until onion is clear.

To stock pot add chicken broth, tomato juice, red beans, parsley, basil, red pepper, vinegar, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour.

Fill a separate stock pot 3/4 full of water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender and drain. Place desired amount of pasta into separate serving bowls and ladle soup on top.

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta with Beans)
Serves six

1 lb. dried Great Northern beans
3 Tblsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 oz. bacon, dicedor 1 small smoked pork chop (optional)
1 can (15 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes with juiceor 1 cup tomato sauce
10 cups water
6 oz. dried pasta
6 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs fresh sage or tsp. dried
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse beans under cold water and drain well. Set aside. Warm olive oil in large soup pot, add bacon if you are using it and saut for 3 minutes. Add onion, carrots, celery and saut for 5 minutes until slightly softened but not brown. Add garlic and tomatoes with their juice (or tomato sauce) and simmer for 10 minutes gently. Add beans and 8 cups of the water and herbs. If using fresh sage, tie it up with the parsley and remove later. If using smoked pork chop, add it now. Bring to a simmer and cook until beans are quite tender, at least an hour and up to 90 minutes. Check the liquid frequently and add as necessary to keep the beans fairly liquid. You may need to add at least the remaining 2 cups of water. Taste for salt (depends if you used bacon or smoked pork or neither) and adjust. Bring to a full boil. Making sure you have enough liquid, add the pasta. Cook until tender. Add several grinds of fresh black pepper. Pass the grated cheese at the table.