White Bean Pasta E Fagioli Recipes

PASTA E FAGIOLI (ITALIAN PASTA AND BEANS)

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and about 10 twists of black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent, about 6 to 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook until the tomatoes are bubbling all over. Add the broth, water, bay leaves, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
• Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Use a heat-safe measuring cup to transfer about 1 1/2 cups of the soup (avoiding the bay leaves) to a blender. Add about 3/4 cup of the drained beans. Securely fasten the lid and blend until completely smooth, being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. Pour the blended mixture back into the soup.
• Add the remaining beans, pasta, kale and parsley to the simmering soup. Continue cooking, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, for about 20 minutes, or until the pasta and greens are pleasantly tender.
• Remove the pot from the heat, then remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste and season with more salt (I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon) and pepper until the flavors really sing. Garnish bowls of soup as desired, and serve.
• Leftovers taste even better the next day. Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Or, freeze leftover soup in individual portions and defrost as necessary.

WHITE BEAN PASTA E FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic until soft and fragrant (about 15-20 minutes).
• Add four cups of the broth and the beans to the pot and cook for 10 minutes over med-high heat.
• Season with salt and pepper, oregano, and half of the parsley. Be careful with the salt, as salty Parmesan cheese will be added later.
• Cut the tomatoes in half, squeeze out the juice and seeds, chop the tomatoes into a small dice, and add to the pot. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is tender (about 10-15 minutes - check package instructions).
• Add the remaining two cups broth, the Parmesan cheese, and the remaining parsley. Heat for two minutes, mixing well.
• Place toasted baguette pieces in four to six low bowls (the amount of bowls/servings depends on appetites), and ladle the soup over the bread. Sprinkle on some additional Parmesan and serve.