Jennifers Pasta Fazool Casserole Recipes

PASTA FAZOOL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Sauté first 6 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sausage and beef are brown, crumbling with fork, about 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste and cayenne and simmer 5 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon.
• Add kidney beans and heat through.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add mostaccioli, Parmesan and parsley and toss to combine.
• Transfer to 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes.

PASTA FAZOOL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Sauté first 6 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sausage and beef are brown, crumbling with fork, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and cayenne and simmer 5 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon. Add kidney beans and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Add mostaccioli, Parmesan and parsley and toss to combine. Transfer to 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes.

PASTA FAZOOL (PASTA E FAGIOLI)

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.

PASTA FAGIOLI CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over moderate heat.
• Add in the sausage and cook, breaking it up and browning it, until it loses all its pink color, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan; add in the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and rosemary; saute for 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
• Add in the wine, salt, and pepper; boil until the wine is reduced to about 2 tablespoons (this shouldn't take long).
• Add in the tomatoes; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring well.
• Pour in the broth and add the cheese rind and beans.
• Simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 25 minutes, until it thickens a bit.
• Add in the pasta and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the liquid has thickened.
• Sprinkle the cheese on top; transfer to a 350° preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or so, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden; serve hot in soup bowls.
• OAMC: Make as directed through step 8; cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Defrost the casserole in the refrigerator overnight (if frozen); preheat oven to 350°; let casserole come to room temperature for 30-40 minutes.
• Sprinkle cheese over the top; bake for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden; serve in soup bowls.

PHIL'S PASTA FAZOOL WITH ESCAROLE (PASTA FAGIOLI)

Steps:

• Add olive oil to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high, and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Add the carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften and brown, about 2 minutes more. Be sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, salt & black pepper and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat.
• When the broth reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium, add HALF of the beans.
• Mash the remaining beans with a fork or wooden spoon and add them to the pot, stirring to distribute.
• Stir in the optional escarole, adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and simmer until the escarole is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (I cover the pot loosely during this step to prevent too much reduction in the broth.).
• Meanwhile cook the pasta to al dente.
• Stir in the cooked pasta just before serving. Note that the pasta will absorb a lot of the broth.
• Top the dish with grated cheese to taste.
• (It's even better the next day!).