Pasta E Fagioli Con Mista Recipes

PASTA E FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure closed with kitchen twine. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic and saute until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, beans, and sachet of herbs. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the sachet. Puree 1 cup of the bean mixture in a blender until smooth*. Before putting the puree back into the soup, add the macaroni and boil with the lid on until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Return the puree to the remaining soup in the saucepan and stir well. Season the soup with ground black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with some Parmesan and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil just before serving.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

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 E FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook the celery, carrots, onion and garlic until they're tender.
• Stir the broth, Italian seasoning and tomatoes in the skillet. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
• Add the pasta and beans and cook for 5 minutes.
• Place half of the broth mixture into a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour the pureed mixture into the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot.

PASTA E FAGIOLI CON MISTA

Steps:

• Make the beans: Place beans in a large pot; add enough water to cover. Let stand at room temperature overnight.
• Drain beans and rinse; transfer to a large pot. Place onion, celery, carrot, proscuitto, sage, parsley, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth; tie with a piece of kitchen twine to enclose. Transfer to pot along with potato. Add 5 cups water and season with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook until beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove beans from heat. Remove cheesecloth packet and discard. Let beans cool completely in their liquid. Beans can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated, in their liquid.
• Make the soup: Place prosciutto, onion, celery, carrot, leeks, and rosemary in the bowl of a food processor; pulse 4 or 5 times to combine.
• Heat a large pot over medium heat; add olive oil and vegetables. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened and caramelized, about 15 minutes. If vegetables begin to stick or brown too fast, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to loosen.
• Add butternut squash and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until caramelized and well combined, making sure the bottom does not burn. Add beans, 4 cups of their cooking liquid, and chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil and whisk vigorously to break up beans.
• Add pasta and reduce soup to a simmer. Cook, stirring bottom of pot occasionally, until all pasta is al dente, about 12 minutes, adding more liquid if necessary to cook pasta; season with salt and pepper.
• Serve drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and cheese; season with cracked black pepper.

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.

PASTA E FAGIOLI: THE AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Steps:

• If pre-boiling the beans, pre-soak them overnight in abundant water. Simmer them the next day until tender, about an hour or so depending on how old your beans are, seasoning with salt towards the end of cooking. (If you like, you can add a garlic clove and a sprig of parsley.)
• Fry the pancetta, cut up into cubes or lardons, in olive oil until just beginning to brown, then add the garlic cloves and rosemary. (You can also add a peperoncino at this point if you like some spice.)
• Just when you start to smell the garlic and rosemary, add the canned tomatoes, which you should crush in your hands as you add them to the pot. (I just add one or two plus a little juice, just enough to lightly color the soup and add a little flavor) and simmer until the tomatoes have separated from the oil.
• Then add your cannellini beans, allow them to simmer for a minute or two to insaporire (absorb the flavors of the tomato and other ingredients) and then add water (or broth) and partially cooked pasta (see below).
• Continue simmering, squashing some of the beans against the side of the pot so that they 'melt' into the liquid and thicken it, until the pasta is fully cooked.
• I like to mix in a bit of grated pecorino cheese to enrich the soup before serving. Serve topped with you choice of additional grated cheese, freshly ground pepper and/or un filo d'olio.

PASTA E FAGIOLI WITH HAM

Steps:

• Drain the beans and set aside.
• In a large stockpot heat the oil over moderate heat until hot. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add ham and garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, beans, beef stock, thyme, bay leaf and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the beans to a small processor or blender and puree. Return beans to pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring liquid to a boil and add pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 6 minutes.

PASTA E FAGIOLI (OLIVE GARDEN COPYCAT)

Steps:

• On medium heat, preheat a large pot or dutch oven with oil. Add ground beef and let it brown (3-5 minutes). As its cooking, be sure to break it apart into small pieces.
• Remove cooked beef from the pot. Drain of excess fat and set aside.
• In the same pot, add diced carrots, onion, celery and pressed garlic. Saute until the vegetables are softened (about 4 minutes).
• Add canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef back to the cooking vegetables in the pot. Stir to combine together.
• Add Great Northern and kidney beans to the mix. Pour chicken broth to the pot and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add pasta, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and let it cook for another 10 minutes.
• Serve right away with a sprinkle of basil or parmesan cheese.

PASTA E FAGIOLI SOUP

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch Oven, combine the beans, bay leaves and 2 quarts (8 cups) of water. Bring to a boil, over medium high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.
• Using a colander set over a bowl, drain the beans, collecting the broth into the bowl. Add chicken stock to complete 6 cups of liquid. Reserve the broth and the beans.
• Wipe down the pot and bring it back to the stove, over medium heat. Heat the olive oil and sauté the pancetta until golden brown. Remove and place in a paper towel-lined plate to soak up the excess grease. Reserve.
• Add the onion, leek, carrot and celery, sautéing until softened, about 5 minutes. Then, stir in the minced garlic and cook for a minute or two, or until fragrant.
• Stir in the thyme leaves and cook for about a minute.
• Add the pancetta back into the pot. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, parmesan rind, reserved broth, salt and pepper.
• Cover, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, cook the pasta separately, according to package instructions.
• Add reserved beans and cooked pasta to the soup.
• Stir in the grated parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper.
• Stir in the sliced basil, reserving some for garnishing.
• Garnish with basil and fresh thyme. Serve immediately.

PASTA E FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Put the borlotti beans in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let the beans soak overnight or for at least 6 hours. Drain the beans and tip them into a large saucepan. Using the flat side of a large knife, press down on the whole garlic cloves so that their papery skins tear and begin to come away. Peel them and chuck the bruised cloves on top of the beans. Now take a popsock and in it pop, appropriately enough, the sprigs of rosemary and cut-up onion. This will stop the needles (which turn bitter on boiling) from infiltrating the soup (very irritating between the teeth, too) but allow their resiny fragrance to seep through. I also find it better not to have slimy onion skins all over the place later. Cover everything generously with cold water, clamp on a lid and bring to the boil. Once it's started boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for an hour. Check the beans to see how cooked they are and, only when they're tender, add salt to taste. Chuck out the corpsed popsock and its contents. Remove a mugful of beans - or more if you want a very thick soup - and tip into a blender (my preference) or processor, along with a tablespoonful of tomato concentrate and 250ml / 1 cup of the beancooking liquid and liquidise. Now, add the 3 tablespoons of oil to a small saucepan and grate (I always use my fine Microplane for this) or squeeze in the sixth clove of garlic. Cook over a low to medium heat until soft but not coloured and then stir in the finely chopped rosemary. Cook for another scant minute, add the liquidised soup and cook for a minute or so, then tip into the large pan of beans. Bring back to the boil and add the ditalini, cooking them according to packet instructions. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

PASTA E FAGIOLI CON MISTA

Steps:

• Make the beans: Place beans in a large pot; add enough water to cover. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Drain beans and rinse; transfer to a large pot. Place onion, celery, carrot, proscuitto, sage, parsley, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth; tie with a piece of kitchen twine to enclose. Transfer to pot along with potato. Add 5 cups water and season with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook until beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove beans from heat. Remove cheesecloth packet and discard. Let beans cool completely in their liquid. Beans can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated, in their liquid. Make the soup: Place prosciutto, onion, celery, carrot, leeks, and rosemary in the bowl of a food processor; pulse 4 or 5 times to combine. Heat a large pot over medium heat; add olive oil and vegetables. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened and caramelized, about 15 minutes. If vegetables begin to stick or brown too fast, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to loosen. Add butternut squash and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until caramelized and well combined, making sure the bottom does not burn. Add beans, 4 cups of their cooking liquid, and chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil and whisk vigorously to break up beans. Add pasta and reduce soup to a simmer. Cook, stirring bottom of pot occasionally, until all pasta is al dente, about 12 minutes, adding more liquid if necessary to cook pasta; season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and cheese; season with cracked black pepper.