Pasta e Fagioli
My husband’s family tradition is to eat Pasta e Fagioli, also called Pasta Fazool, on Christmas Eve. I believe the tradition started because the dish, a hearty bean and pasta soup is quick and easy to make before mass and heat up when you get home. We don’t go to mass, but now that we’ve had his family over for Christmas Eve dinner the past two years we’ve kept the tradition going and made a big pot of soup.
My father in law prefers the soup the way his mother made it- with tomato sauce, just a few beans, spaghetti, and no onions, garlic or herbs (other than a shake of dried oregano) to speak of. I prefer a more flavorful, heartier version using smaller, bite sized pasta that fits on a spoon. Either way you make it, both recipes are quick, easy and healthy. Serve with warm Italian bread.
Pasta e Fagioli
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 32-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
10 sage leaves chopped
2 15-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper
8 ounces ditalini or other small pasta
Grated Parmesan
Cook the onion in the olive oil until softened, about five minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook about a minute more. Add the tomatoes and the juices, the chicken broth and the beans and simmer about 10 minutes. For a heartier soup, add the pasta and cook in the soup for about 10 minutes, checking often to see if it’s al dente. For a more soup like soup, cook the noodles separately and add just before serving. Add the herbs, salt and pepper and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
My StumbleUpon Page
Leave a Reply