PASTA FAGIOLI

Pasta Fagioli image

Provided by Robert Irvine : Food Network

Time 1h20m

Yield 1 gallon

Number Of Ingredients 16

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup sliced carrots (1/4-inch half-moon shape)
1 cup large-diced celery
12 cups chicken stock
4 cups canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup diced roasted red pepper
1/2 cup minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups cooked and pulled pork
4 cups rough chopped red tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
3 cups cooked fusilli
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, minced
6 fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced

Steps:

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the onions, carrots and celery, searing the vegetables until the carrots have browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the stock, beans, red pepper, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the vegetables and beans soften, about 20 minutes. Then add the pork, tomatoes and parsley and allow the soup to cook until the tomatoes have softened, an additional 10 minutes. Finally, reduce the heat to low and add the pasta, cheese, oregano and basil to the soup to finish for 20 to 30 minutes.