Pasta e Fagioli

[happyathome]

(I have tried several times to fix the title....I have no idea why it won't fix...It's suppose to read Pasta e fagioli...but the site keeps putting asteriks in there!!!! Maybe doesn't like Italian food???)
PASTA AND BEAN SOUP_THERE!!!
This is Italian comfort food. If you don’t have fresh herbs, use dried.
Serves 6

4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 2 tsp. dried
1 large fresh sprig of Rosemary or 3/4 tsp. dried
1 Bay Leaf fresh or dried
1 TBsp. Olive oil
1 TBsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 ounces Pancetta or bacon
2 garlic cloves
5 ¾ cups chicken broth
2 (14 ½ oz. cans) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
¾ cup elbow macaroni
Fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Put herbs in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine. If using dried herbs, put them in with the broth later. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta, garlic and sauté these until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Now add broth, beans and dried herbs if that is what you are using. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease hat to medium and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. If you used fresh herbs, throw out the cheesecloth packet now.
Puree or smash 1 cup of the beans until smooth and then return the puree to the saucepan. Cover and return soup to boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cover. Bring this back to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is tender, but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with pepper and serve in bowls with the Parmesan cheese.

[braided-rug]

Hi happyathome. The previous owners put the first part of the word in the no no list. If you strike a word like that type it out with a space in it, like f agioli. I could take the word out of the list as well.

There, that's better.

The soup sounds delicious.

I have tried one similar many years ago, will check what it is called.

[braided-rug]

It was the same named soup I tried, and I really enjoyed it. At the time, many Australians had soup mostly thin with just carrots and celery floating around lol. Or to be fair nice pea and ham soup as well.

This is the recipe from the early 80s.

Bean & Pasta Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)

250g (8oz) haricot beans
1 1/2 litres (6 cups metric?) water US 7.5 cups?
125g (4oz) bacon pieces
1 onion
1 stick celery
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons oil
250g (8oz) bacon bones
pepper
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
3/4 cup small pasta.

We used macaroni.

Place beans in pan, wash well, cover with the water, cover pan, bring to boil, boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, stand covered 1 hour. Do not drain. Trim rind from bacon pieces, chop bacon finely, peel and finely chop onion and garlic, finely chop celery. (These can all be finely chopped in a food processor.) Heat oil in pan, add bacon and vegetables, cook, stirring, until the mixture changes colour. Add bacon bones to haricot beans and water, together with the bacon and vegetables. Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered, 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.

Remove bacon bones from soup, remove any meat from bones; discard bones, finely chop meat. Using slotted spoon, remove about half the cooked beans from the soup, push through sieve or blend or process until smooth. Meat from bacon bones can also e processed or blended with the beans. Skim away any oil from surface of soup. Return bean mixture to soup, as shown, simmer gently while pasta is cooking. Add pasta to pan of boiling salted water, boil rapidly uncovered about 10 minutes or until pasta is just tender; drain. Add to soup with parsley. Season with pepper; the bacon should provide enough salt. Serve topped with grated parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

Adapted from Australian Women's Weekly older Italian Cookbook, which I have tried most recipes from and go back to it regularly.

I found the smashed beans gave it the beautiful texture etc. Lovely soup. Will have to have your recipe as a standby recipe in our home as we always have kidney beans on hand. Must print now.

I love black bean soup with the smashed beans too.

[skybluu]

What in the world are haricot beans? never heard of bacon bones??

[braided-rug]

Hi skybluu.

Yes, that was a long time ago, and Australia's beans were very limited. They are white, shaped like capsules?

Bacon bones, are sold in the winter for the pea and ham soup. I'll see if I can find a picture.

[braided-rug]

DH made a recipe that I found in a hurry from the taste.com.au site last night. I loved it!

www.taste.com.au/recipes/6293/pasta+e+fagioli+pasta+beans

There is also a vegetarian recipe for it on that site as well.

Actually happyathome it is very like your recipe. The pancetta is really nice. We used kidney and butter beans, had no idea in a rush which beans to use. So glad you use kidney beans. Oh, and the rosemary was delicious.

Pasta e fagioli (pasta & beans)

Ingredients (serves 4)

* 2 tbs olive oil
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 1 large carrot, peeled, finely chopped
* 1 large celery stick, finely chopped
* 150g thinly sliced mild pancetta, diced
* 1/2 large red chilli, seeded, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 500g tomato passata
* 500ml chicken stock
* 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked, chopped
* 500g dried macaroni
* 500g can mixed beans, drained, rinsed
* 4 tbs grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
* Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Method

1. Place half the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and pancetta and sweat for 10 minutes. Add the chilli, garlic, tomato passata, stock and half the rosemary. Simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water. Drain and refresh under cold water. Toss through the remaining olive oil.
3. Stir beans into tomato mixutre, set aside to cool slightly, then use a food processor to process half the sauce. Return pureed sauce to the pan and stir in the pasta and remaining rosemary. Reheat over low heat, stirring, and add the parmesan.
4. Serve topped with extra parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.



Source

delicious. - March 2002, Page 69

[braided-rug]

Dec 22, 2007 9:52:45 GMT 10 skybluu said:

What in the world are haricot beans? never heard of bacon bones??

Beans are funny. We have beans the US don't use often and the other way around.