My Italian American Grandfather was famous (at least among our family and friends) for his Pasta E Fagioli, which I will share with you (if you promise to give him credit)! Pasta E Fagioli is Italian for Pasta with Beans (sometimes known here as "Pasta Fazool"), but it’s not just pasta and it’s not just beans - it’s a simple and easy soup with a distinct Italian flavor that you can make in 20 minutes, but can stretch for the whole week.
The mere smell of this soup brings me back many years to my grandfather’s kitchen, where I would watch him making it while my stomach growled. A disclaimer, though, that none of the recipes from any of my grandparents are ever exact - Grandpa Sam would often say as he cooked, “you throw in a little garlic, spread oregano around, a pinch of this.. a pinch of that..try it see if it tastes right…” - but I will try to guide you now as best as I can!
GRANDPA SAM’S FAMOUS PASTA E FAGIOLI
Ingredients:
2 Cans (15.5 oz) of Cannellini Beans
1 Can (15.5 oz) chick peas/Garbanzo Beans (optional)
1 Cup of chicken broth (Grandpa Sam would say to add more if you want more soup/broth)
1 Can (15 oz) of Hunts or similar brand tomato sauce
1 large onion cut into small pieces (Grandpa Sam would say, “1 1/2 large onions if you want it really sweet)
3-4 cloves of garlic (cut into pieces) (Grandpa Sam would say, ‘lots of garlic’)
4-5 pieces of Bacon or Turkey Bacon (vegetarians can skip the bacon)
Box of Elbow macaroni or Ditalini
Olive Oil
A pinch of crushed red pepper
Oregano
Salt and Pepper
- Brown the bacon in a large sauce pan.
- When the bacon is ready remove the bacon from the pan. (Grandpa Sam would say to leave all the bacon juice in the pan for lots of flavor)
- When the bacon is cool, cut it into small pieces and put to the side
- In the same large pan you made the bacon in, add a little olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Add garlic and onions and a pinch of red pepper
- When onions are clear, put the bacon back into the pan, add the 2 cans of Cannellini Beans (Grandpa Sam would add the Cannelloni juice to the soup, "for more flavor")
- Drain the water from the chick peas. Add the chick peas to the soup.
- Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth
- Cover the soup with some oregano. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring soup to a boil and then let it simmer for 5 -10 minutes
- In a separate pan boil the pasta and drain. Add a little olive oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking. I keep the pasta in a separate pan so that the soup does not get dry!
Serve the soup individually to people by putting the pasta in a bowl and adding the soup on top. This will also help you introduce it to your kids. First give them a bowl of macaroni and add a few beans and work your way up to a whole bowl of fiber filled beans with a ‘little’ pasta! Add grated parmesan cheese or romano on top for added flavor (your kids will love it this way!)
Enjoy and please comment, especially if you have your own Pasta E Fagioli Recipe!
Liz
