Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli, or Pasta Fazool (as they say it in the broken English, Brooklyn-ese), is a traditional Italian peasant dish, and a Vitellaro Family favorite. It's made with cannellini beans and a tomato base, served with pasta shells. Depending on the recipe, the consistency can be more soupy or can be more like a stew. Either way, you'll enjoy it. Here's a recipe from Cooks.com.

-Mike

Ingredients

1 lb. dried cannellini beans
2 tbsp. flour
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lg. onion (at least 6 oz.)
4 lg. ribs celery with leaves
3 med. carrots
1/2 c. butter
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped parsley, firmly packed
2 (10.5 oz.) cans condensed beef broth
Salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. dried basil or 1/3 c. basil leaves
8 oz. sm. macaroni shells

Directions

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Rinse and drain. Place beans in a large pot. Add flour plus 3 tablespoons of olive oil and shake until beans are coated. Add 2 quarts warm water and garlic. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop onion, celery, and carrot. Saute vegetables in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter in large skillet for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and parsley. Cover and simmer between 30-45 minutes. When beans have finished cooking, add sauteed vegetables, beef broth, salt, pepper, and basil. Simmer 15 minutes. Add water if necessary to achieve desired consistency.

Macaroni: Add 1 teaspoon salt to 3 quarts of rapid boiling water. Gradually add macaroni so the water will continue to boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until just tender. Don't overcook macaroni. Drain and add to soup. Stir gently to mix. Great with Crusty Italian Bread.

Comments

[Anthony Colasurdo]

My mother (God rest her soul) would sometimes add meatballs and/or sausage left-over from Sunday dinner. Delizioso!

[Mike Vitellaro]

Oh, so more like an Italian wedding soup then? Equally as delicious. My mom makes that as well, but she makes the meatballs especially for the soup, so they're about 1/4 the size of our typical sunday meatballs.

[Maryann]

I love pasta fagioli! We have it often. One of our favorite comfort foods. Yours looks great :)

[catering]

Thank you so much for sharing you recipe i will try this,and i want that on my wedding i have the same dish. :)

winnie