Seafood Pasta And Bean Soup Pasta E Fagioli Ai Frutti Di Mare Recipes

PASTA E FAGIOLI / PASTA AND BEANS

Steps:

• In a large pot add the olive oil, minced garlic, chopped onion, celery and carrots, cook until transparent.
• Then add the vegetable broth, spices, puree and beans bring to a boil, cover with a slight opening and continue to simmer over low/medium heat for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the beans are tender and the soup has thickened. Stirring occasionally.
• Once they are cooked and tender, then you can blend 1/3-1/2 the ingredients or leave as is. Add the water (taste for salt) and bring the soup to a boil then add the dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. If you find it too thick then add a little more water or broth, too thin then add less water before adding the pasta. Serve immediately sprinkled with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

LINGUINE AI FRUTTI DI MARE (LINGUINE WITH FRUIT OF THE SEA)

Steps:

• Boil water in a large pot.
• Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, and sauté garlic until it sizzles.
• Add red pepper flakes to taste; cook 1 minute.
• Add wine and clams (in shell or from can, after rinsing); cover. Increase heat to med-high; cook 5 minutes.
• Now it's time to boil the linguine! Cook until al dente. Uncover sauté pan; simmer 1 minute more.
• Add tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add shrimp, calamari, scallops, and mussels (if using). Cook, stirring, until clams and mussels open, about 3 minutes. Toss with linguine. Add parsley; toss.
• Serve very hot!

ZUPPA DI FAGIOLI CON LA PASTA (ITALIAN BEAN SOUP WITH PASTA)

Steps:

• Sort and wash beans. Place in heavy stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for about an hour. Drain. Add ham hocks and water to cover. Cook until the beans are tender and meat is easy to remove from bones. (2 - 3 hours).
• Drain, reserving 2 cups of liquid. Remove meat from ham bones and set meat aside.
• Sauté onion, carrots, garlic, procuitto and mushrooms in olive oil until tender.
• Add ham, beans, the 2 cups of reserved bean liquid and 6 cups of chicken stock. Cook several hours.
• Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse well. Add to soup. Heat through.
• Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

SPAGHETTI AI FRUTTI DI MARE

Steps:

• Prepare the octopus:
• Put octopus in a pressure cooker with water, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and seal pressure cooker with lid, then cook at high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions 10 minutes.
• Put pressure cooker in sink (do not remove lid) and run cold water over lid until pressure goes down completely. Remove lid. Transfer octopus to a cutting board, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Cut off and discard head, then cut tentacles into 1-inch pieces.
• Prepare the tomato sauce:
• Simmer tomatoes with their juice, basil, and olive oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, uncovered, stirring and mashing tomatoes occasionally, until thick and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Prepare the basil puree:
• Puree basil, olive oil, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender, scraping down side as necessary, until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Prepare the pasta and seafood:
• Cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until 'al dente'.
• Meanwhile, puree garlic and olive oil in cleaned blender until smooth.
• Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add olive oil mixture, then immediately add octopus, shrimp, and mussels and saute, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are browned on edges and mussels begin to open, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add tomato sauce and reserved octopus-cooking liquid and cook, stirring, until mussels just open wide and shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes more (discard any unopened mussels). Season with salt and pepper.
• Drain pasta and return to pot.
• Add squid to hot seafood in skillet, stirring to combine, then add to hot pasta and toss to combine (squid will cook as it is being tossed). Serve drizzled with all of basil puree.
• Notes: If you do not have a pressure cooker, octopus can be simmered in a 4-quart pot with bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water, covered, turning occasionally, until tender, 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours.
• Octopus can be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled, uncovered, until cool, then covered.
• Tomato sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

LOW-FAT PASTA E FAGIOLI (ITALIAN PASTA & BEAN SOUP)

Steps:

• Combine onion, carrots, celery, fennel, and garlic in a food processor and process until vegetables are finely chopped, about 15 seconds (or finely chop by hand).
• Heat oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes, Stir in tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Add beans and pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender but firm (al dente), about 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in basil and parsley. Garnish each serving with some cheese, if desired.