Tuscan Bean And Pasta Soup 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.

PASTA AND BEANS: PASTA E FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits lightly, and add herb stems, bay leaf, chopped vegetables, and garlic. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and stock to pot and raise heat to high. Bring soup to a rapid boil and add pasta. Reduce heat to medium and cook soup, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. Rosemary and thyme leaves will separate from stems as soup cooks. Remove herb stems and bay leaf from soup and place pot on table on a trivet. Let soup rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of grated cheese. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.

TUSCAN BEAN AND PASTA SOUP (PASTA E FAGIOLI)

Steps:

• Cut the pancetta into small cubes and cook it in the olive oil in a large pot until just beginning to brown. Add the onion, the carrot, and the celery. Cook for a few minutes and add the garlic and rosemary. Stir in the minced pepperoncino at this point, if you like some spice.
• When the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, crush the tomatoes in a food processor and add them to the pot with their juices. Simmer for a few minutes and add the drained cooked beans. Allow to cook for 10 minutes, before adding the hot stock and the seasoning. When it comes to a boil, stir in the pasta.
• Continue cooking, squashing some of the beans against the side of the pot (so that they help thicken it the stock), until the pasta is fully cooked. Just before turning the heat off, swirl in 1 TBSP. of butter and the grated cheese.
• Let the soup sit for five minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The more it sits, the past absorbs more liquid and the soup thickness. If necessary, stir in some hot water or stock to thin it out. Serve with a drizzle of your best olive oil.

PASTA AND BEAN SOUP (PASTA E FAGIOLI)

Steps:

• Combine beans and water in an 8-quart heavy pot and soak, covered, 12 hours.
• Add vegetables and 1 tablespoon rosemary to pot and simmer, covered, until beans are tender, about 2 hours.
• Using a slotted spoon, set aside 1 heaping cup bean mixture, then reserve 2 cups cooking liquid separately.
• Force remaining soup through a food mill into a very large bowl.
• Cook pancetta in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring, until it begins to render its fat.
• Add remaining rosemary and cook, stirring, 15 seconds.
• Stir in puréed soup, reserved whole beans, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently and scraping bottom with a wooden spatula to keep soup from sticking to pot (thin with some of reserved bean liquid if necessary).
• Add pasta and simmer, stirring frequently, until pasta is cooked, about 12 minutes.
• Serve soup drizzled with olive oil.
• -This soup is best the day after it's made.
• Cool it uncovered, before chilling, covered, up to 4 days.
• -You can use a blender or food processor instead of a food mill to purée the soup, but pulse briefly.
• This soup should be textured and thick.
• Makes 4 quarts, serving 8 to 10.