Pasta e Fagioli, a hearty Italian soup, is a classic comfort food that has been enjoyed for centuries. Originating from central Italy, it is a simple yet flavorful dish made with pantry staples like pasta, beans, vegetables, and herbs. While there are variations in recipes across different regions, the core ingredients remain the same. This versatile soup can be customized to suit individual preferences, making it a favorite among home cooks and restaurant-goers alike.
In this comprehensive guide, we will take you on a culinary journey through the world of Pasta e Fagioli. We'll explore its rich history and cultural significance, uncover the secrets behind its delicious flavor, and provide you with three unique recipes that showcase the diversity of this timeless dish.
PASTA FAZOOL (PASTA E FAGIOLI)
This classic Italian-American comfort food works with any kind of sausage, but I like the fennel and anise flavors of sweet Italian sausage with the beans--it's a hearty soup that's fast and easy to put together.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Noodle Soup Recipes
Time 35m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage while breaking it into small pieces, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced celery and chopped onion. Cook until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add dry pasta. Cook and stir 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste until evenly distributed, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 cups broth. Raise heat to high and bring to a simmer. Add salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, and oregano. When soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let it simmer about 5 minutes, stirring often. Check soup consistency and add more broth, if needed.
- Place chopped chard in a bowl. Cover with cold water and rinse the leaves; any grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer chard to colander to drain briefly; add to soup. Cook and stir until leaves wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in white beans; continue cooking and stirring until pasta is perfectly cooked, another 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese. Serve topped with grated cheese, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 887.6 calories, Carbohydrate 77.3 g, Cholesterol 83.7 mg, Fat 43.8 g, Fiber 12.5 g, Protein 43.8 g, SaturatedFat 13.9 g, Sodium 4199.5 mg, Sugar 10 g
FAGIOLI PASTA (NOT PASTA FAZOOL SOUP)
This is a Southern Calabrese (Soveria-Simeri) variation of Pasta Fagioli Soup, only it's really a pasta dish with a flavorful and spicy tomato, bean, and onion sauce.
Provided by soveria
Categories European
Time 35m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Start boiling salted water in large pot. Cook pasta until al dente (slightly firm).
- While pasta cooks, saute onion and garlic, and generous amount of salt and fresh ground black pepper, in olive oil until soft. Add tomato sauce and remaining spices, and simmer on medium-low heat for 20-minutes, stirring frequently.
- When pasta is done cooking, drain the water and return the pasta to the pot. Add the hot tomato sauce (be careful), broth, beans, and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Mix thoroughly, continuing to heat on medium-low heat until desired temperature.
- Serve immediately, topping with generous amount of shredded cheese. Buon Appetito!
NEW YEAR'S "GOOD LUCK" PASTA FAZOOL
It's a scientific fact that eating pork, beans, or greens at the beginning of a new year brings you great luck-just imagine if we put all three of those things together in a single dish. This is so satisfying and delicious that even if it brought me bad luck, I'd still make it. Best served with some crusty, toasted bread.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Noodle Soup Recipes
Time 1h5m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Place a cold soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered out and the bacon begins to crisp up, about 5 minutes. Drain off most of the excess fat with a paper towel if desired, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add onions, celery, and salt. Saute until and softened onions turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in black pepper, cayenne, dried thyme, dried oregano, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste starts to caramelize onto the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and water and raise the heat to high. Bring to a simmer over high heat; reduce heat to medium and let simmer while you prep the Swiss chard.
- Remove chard leaves from tough stems. Gather a handful of leaves and slice across in one direction; turn and slice across again. Repeat with remaining chard. Place into a bowl and fill with water. Swish around to remove dirt; transfer washed greens a handful at a time to another bowl to drain.
- Stir the Swiss chard into the pot and simmer over medium heat until greens become tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
- Stir in the drained beans and raise the heat to high; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Once the pasta is tender, check the seasoning. Serve immediately in large bowls. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and red pepper flakes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 293.3 calories, Carbohydrate 34.5 g, Cholesterol 25.3 mg, Fat 10 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Protein 16.9 g, SaturatedFat 2.9 g, Sodium 1761.5 mg, Sugar 3.3 g
PASTA FAZOOL
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Categories main-dish
Time 1h5m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cook the pancetta in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat in the pot.
- Add the onion and some salt to the pot and cook until beginning to soften. Add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and a couple pinches of salt to the pot and saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Mash the garlic with a drizzle of olive oil to form a paste. Add the garlic mixture and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
- Deglaze the pot with the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, beans, tomatoes and up to 1 cup water to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender, about 30 seconds, keeping at least half of the beans intact (or puree in a regular blender, then return to the pot). Add a little more stock to thin out the soup.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Strain the past in a colander. In the pot with the soup, stir in the pancetta and half each of the parmesan and basil. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- To serve, divide the pasta between the bowls and ladle some soup on top. Garnish with the remaining parmesan and basil. Finish with a crack of black pepper.
- Split open and quarter 1 baguette. Layer thick slices of sharp provolone and thinly sliced soppressata on the bread. Add some baby arugula and drizzle with sweet Italian vinaigrette.
TWIG'S PASTA FAGIOLI (PASTA FAZOOL)
This is my version of Pasta Fagioli that I came up with by taking bits of recipes and putting them together to make what pleased my palate. I'm quite pleased with the result. This is a very thick soup. You could easily add more stock if you want a thinner soup. Feel free to substitute the beans you like best.
Provided by Twiggyann
Categories Beans
Time 1h10m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a large stock pot.
- Saute carrots, celery, garlic, and onion for 5 minutes or until tender.
- Add diced tomatoes and chicken stock.
- Add beans and remaining spices.
- Simmer for 60 minutes.
- During the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the macaroni.
- When serving, top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 243.8, Fat 4.6, SaturatedFat 0.9, Cholesterol 3.6, Sodium 292.9, Carbohydrate 38.4, Fiber 8.8, Sugar 5.8, Protein 13.3
Tips:
- Use a variety of beans for a more flavorful soup. Great options include kidney beans, black beans, and cannellini beans.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different vegetables. Some delicious additions include carrots, celery, and zucchini.
- Add some herbs and spices to taste. Good choices include basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic powder.
- Don't overcook the pasta. It should be al dente, tender but still slightly firm.
- Serve the soup immediately with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
Conclusion:
Pasta e Fagioli is a delicious and hearty soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a great way to use up leftover pasta and beans. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can easily make a delicious pot of Pasta e Fagioli that the whole family will love.
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