Pasta e Fagioli
I’ve been making a vegetarian version of this savory Italian dish since before I fell in love with cooking. It was the one dish I made that never sucked, even my picky, must-have-meat father loved it. So even though I’m a much better cook now – I’ve never strayed from “old reliable”.
Until now!!
Here in the USA it’s usually the Italian-American version – a thick, tomato-based soup with beans and heavy pork flavor. I decided to investigate how they make it in old Italy (cue the cheesy tarantella). Of course then I was confronted with all the “authentic” Italian chefs and their “authentic” versions, so I gleaned all the pertinent info and put it to the test. The results were out of this world! Much lighter, creamier and with more bold and savory flavors, there’s a good chance that “old reliable” is getting put out to pasture. Not even kidding.
Kendo’s Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 oz packet of chopped prosciutto or 4 oz pancetta diced
- 3 cans of cannelini beans divided – 2 cans in before immersion blender
- 3 cups of broth
- 3 cups of water
- ½ medium onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic – minced
- 14 oz can of plum tomatoes crush with hands
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary minced or 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb box of small pasta like ditalini
- grated cheese for topping pecorino romano or parmesan
Instructions
- Rinse and drain 2 cans of cannellini beans. Put aside.
- Begin heating up a large pot of salted cold water to cook pasta in, add a few drops of olive oil. Medium heat.
- Heat up your large soup pot over medium heat. Add ¼ olive oil. Once it shimmers throw in you prosciutto/pancetta. When it browns a bit add the diced onion. Cook until onion is translucent, stir occasionally. Just before onions are done, sprinkle garlic on top of onion/pork and cook 1 minute. Add minced rosemary. Cook another minute.
- Turn up heat for pasta water and bring to a boil.
- Take 4-5 Italian canned tomatoes and crush them with your hands in a bowl and add to the soup pot.
- Add 2 cans of rinsed beans and stir. Add 3 cups chicken broth & 3 cups water. Stir.
- With immersion blender – blend the soup until most of the ingredients are pureed (or mash with fork/wooden spoon).
- Rinse and drain the remaining can of cannellini beans; add to soup.
- Turn up heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- In the other pot add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente – according to what it says on da box. Drain in colander and rinse pasta in cold water. If you are planning to have leftovers, drizzle a little olive oil over the drained pasta (once dry) and stir.
- Portion pasta into bowls and ladle soup over it. Grate cheese over soup and mix in. Crack some black pepper on there! Serve with crusty bread; salad makes a great side.
Notes
Music to cook by: John Patitucci “Now”
