Pasta e Fagioli

A hearty, warm  italian dish for a chilly evening.

Serve with a green salad topped with a lean protein.

thehealthyfoodie.com

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups dried white beans, such as Cannellini or Great Northern, soaked overnight
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (28oz) whole plum tomatoes
• 8 cups boiling water  (or chicken stock or vegetable broth)
• 200g Ditalini pasta
• 1 tsp dried Italian Herbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• freshly grated Parmigiano cheese for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and gently sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the beans to the vegetables along with the tomatoes, dried herbs, and about 6 cups boiling water (or chicken stock or vegetable broth)
• Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the beans are tender, about 1 to 1½ hour.
• Add more boiling water from time to time as necessary: the beans should always be covered with simmering liquid.
• When the beans are very tender, transfer about 4 cups beans and their liquid to a food processor and process to a thick puree. Set aside.
• Add the pasta and another 2 cups of boiling water to the beans in the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Taste and add salt and lots of black pepper.
• Stir the reserved puree back into the soup.
• Serve in individual bowls, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of parsley, and some Parmigiano.