Pasta e Fagioli: Easiest Italian recipe
The well-known Pasta e Fagioli, or pasta and beans, is an Italian treasure.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 4 cup dried, frozen, or fresh cannellini beans
- ½ lb small pasta
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- ½ onion
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil or 2 slices of bacon
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- Thyme, rosemary, or marjoram
- Red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- If you use dried beans, soak them according to the method stated above. If you use frozen beans, bring some water to a rolling boil, add some salt and then the beans; cook for about 10 minutes. If you use fresh beans, you do not need any preparation. Just rinse them under cold running water.
- Prepare the vegetables: Wash and chop the celery, onion, and carrot very thinly and put them into a pot with a little oil or lard.
- Add the whole clove of garlic and fry over medium-high heat until the sautéed vegetables turn golden brown. Remove the garlic and stir in the beans.
- Pour in the tomato sauce or paste.
- Season with salt and pepper and bay leaves. Cover with a lid and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- If it gets too dry, add some water or a little vegetable broth.
- Remove a third of the beans; then blend the soup with an immersion blender until creamy.
- Add some water or vegetable broth to make it more liquidy.
- Bring it to a rolling boil again and add the fresh or dry pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Add the beans you have set aside; season with more salt and pepper.
- Garnish with a little oil and dried herbs. Red pepper flakes can be sprinkled on as well.
- Serve it very hot with some freshly grated Parmigiano on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2781IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg