Best Pasta Fazoolander Recipes

PASTA FAZOOL (PASTA E FAGIOLI)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage while breaking it into small pieces, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced celery and chopped onion. Cook until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add dry pasta. Cook and stir 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste until evenly distributed, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 cups broth. Raise heat to high and bring to a simmer. Add salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, and oregano. When soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let it simmer about 5 minutes, stirring often. Check soup consistency and add more broth, if needed.
• Place chopped chard in a bowl. Cover with cold water and rinse the leaves; any grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer chard to colander to drain briefly; add to soup. Cook and stir until leaves wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in white beans; continue cooking and stirring until pasta is perfectly cooked, another 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese. Serve topped with grated cheese, if desired.

NEW YEAR'S "GOOD LUCK" PASTA FAZOOL

Steps:

• Place a cold soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered out and the bacon begins to crisp up, about 5 minutes. Drain off most of the excess fat with a paper towel if desired, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add onions, celery, and salt. Saute until and softened onions turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir in black pepper, cayenne, dried thyme, dried oregano, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste starts to caramelize onto the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and water and raise the heat to high. Bring to a simmer over high heat; reduce heat to medium and let simmer while you prep the Swiss chard.
• Remove chard leaves from tough stems. Gather a handful of leaves and slice across in one direction; turn and slice across again. Repeat with remaining chard. Place into a bowl and fill with water. Swish around to remove dirt; transfer washed greens a handful at a time to another bowl to drain.
• Stir the Swiss chard into the pot and simmer over medium heat until greens become tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
• Stir in the drained beans and raise the heat to high; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Once the pasta is tender, check the seasoning. Serve immediately in large bowls. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and red pepper flakes.

PASTA FAZOOL

Steps:

• Cook the pancetta in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat in the pot.
• Add the onion and some salt to the pot and cook until beginning to soften. Add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and a couple pinches of salt to the pot and saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Mash the garlic with a drizzle of olive oil to form a paste. Add the garlic mixture and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
• Deglaze the pot with the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, beans, tomatoes and up to 1 cup water to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Puree the soup with an immersion blender, about 30 seconds, keeping at least half of the beans intact (or puree in a regular blender, then return to the pot). Add a little more stock to thin out the soup.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes.
• Strain the past in a colander. In the pot with the soup, stir in the pancetta and half each of the parmesan and basil. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
• To serve, divide the pasta between the bowls and ladle some soup on top. Garnish with the remaining parmesan and basil. Finish with a crack of black pepper.
• Split open and quarter 1 baguette. Layer thick slices of sharp provolone and thinly sliced soppressata on the bread. Add some baby arugula and drizzle with sweet Italian vinaigrette.

PASTA FAZUL

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute garlic, onion, carrot, parsley, basil and oregano in olive oil until onions are tender.
• Add the tomatoes plus 1/4 cup of the can juices and the salt and pepper. Cover and stir frequently, simmering for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the cannellini beans and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain and toss with butter and Parmesan cheese. Add to cannellini bean mixture. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.