Cranberry Bean Pasta Fagioli Recipes

PASTA E FAGIOLI ALA WEEBLE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat; stir in the ditalini, and return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 6 minutes; drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; stir in onion and bacon and saute until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir garlic into onion mixture; cook over medium-low heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir chicken broth, beans, tomato paste, and chile pepper into onion-bacon mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until fully heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir ditalini and parsley into the soup; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with Romano cheese.

CRANBERRY BEAN PASTA FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, rosemary and pancetta, if using, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes; season with salt. Add the beans, 3 quarts water, the bay leaves and parmesan rind. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are tender, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Uncover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 6 more minutes. (The soup should be thick and creamy; thin with water, if necessary.) Remove the bay leaves, parmesan rind and pancetta, if used. Add the grated parmesan, parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Top with more olive oil and parmesan

PASTA E FAGIOLI WITH BORLOTTI BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Lightly score bottom of each tomato with an X, using a paring knife. Add tomatoes to boiling water and blanch until skin is pulling away, about 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl of ice water. When cool enough to handle, peel tomatoes and coarsely chop. (You should have about 5 cups.)
• Place beans in a medium pot and cover with about 4 inches of water. Generously salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are creamy in the center, 40 to 45 minutes; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden in places, about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan rind, tomatoes, and basil. Cook until tomato juices reduce and thicken slightly, about 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and partially cover pot. Simmer soup 40 to 45 minutes.
• Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, beans, and pasta; simmer until pasta is cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove basil sprigs and Parmesan rind. Serve with a drizzle of oil and grated cheese.

PASTA E FAGIOLI "HARRY'S BAR" (BEAN SOUP WITH NOODLES)

Steps:

• Sort, rinse and soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover them by two inches. Alternatively, quick-soak the beans by boiling them for 5 minutes in the same amount of water. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for an hour.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the garlic until it is golden brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon. Add the chopped onion to the oil and saute gently until soft but not browned. Add the chopped tomato and rosemary and cook gently for 2 minutes.
• Drain the beans and put them into a large, heavy pot together with the sauteed ingredients. Add 5 cups of water and 5 cups of stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat until the liquid barely simmers, using a metal heat dispersion plate if necessary. Cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender but not mushy.
• Strain the cooked beans, reserving the liquid. Puree half the beans in a food processor or grind them through the finest disk of a food mill.
• Return the pureed beans and 2 1/2 cups of cooking liquid to the pot and stir to combine. Add the cooked whole beans and correct the seasonings, adding salt and pepper if desired. Cover the pot and adjust the heat so the soup barely simmers.
• Cook the noodles in rapidly boiling water until barely tender. Drain.
• Divide the noodles among the individual soup bowls, reserving half if second helpings are to be served. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles and serve at once.