Pasta e Fagioli

Now, this is good winter food. Warm and hearty, pasta e fagioli (pronounced 'pasta fashool'), or Italian pasta and bean soup/stew, is perfect for those cold nights that are on the way... I already made it twice in the last month. It is one of my favorite meals, and is pretty easy to make.

Which type of beans you use is up to you. Cranberry beans are ideal, but can be hard to find. I used pinto this time, but cannellini or kidney beans are good too. You can use either dried or canned beans. I like to use dried if I have them, as they tend to hold their shape better - canned beans can get a little mushy. If using dried beans, soak 1 cup in plenty of cold water overnight. The next day, boil them in salted water until tender (beginning to get soft, offering no resistance to your teeth when you bite into them), drain and set aside to cool until needed. If using canned beans, there is no prep to do the night before.

When you are ready to make the soup, start by cutting about 2 tbsp onion (about 1/4 of an average onion) into small dice. Splash a good glug of olive oil into a large heavy saucepan and saute the onion until it starts to color. Then add about 3 tbsp carrot (peeled and diced small) and 2 tbsp celery, diced small. Stir, and add a couple of slices of bacon or pancetta, cut into small dice (this is optional - I did it on one of the two occasions, but not on the time I took the picture above). Saute until the vegetables soften - about 10 minutes. Add 2/3 cup chopped canned tomatoes and juice, and simmer until cooked down. Add either your cooked dried beans or 3 cups of canned beans (you'll probably need more than one 14 oz can). Cook for a few minutes, then add 3 cups of broth (beef, chicken, vegetable or even plain old water). Bring it to a boil. Scoop out 1/2 cup of beans and either mash them or push them through a food mill back into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning. Bring back to a boil and add 8 oz small tubular pasta (macaroni works, but I like ditalini even better). Keep boiling (stirring as you go) until the pasta is just done (a slight bite to it - don't allow it to get too soft), then switch off the heat and stir in 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp hard Italian cheese, grated (parmesan, romano or asiago - I like pecorino romano myself).

Allow the soup to cool a little before serving. This recipe will serve 2-4 people, depending on how hungry they are. Enjoy!

Note 1 - Recipe adapted from one in 'Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' by Marcella Hazan.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 1 cup = 240 ml; 2/3 cup = 160 ml; 3 cups = 700 ml; 14 oz = 400 g; 1/2 cup = 120 ml; 8 oz = 225 g.