"When the stars make you drool, just-a like pasta fazool,...that's amore." Dean Martin: That's AmoreWhen I was a kid a favorite way to ruffle my grandmother's feathers was to keep saying, "Pasta Fazool." You see she didn't hear so well and, "Pasta Fazool" sounds a little like you are saying the "F" word in Italian. She would cross herself and tell my cousins and I that were going to go to devil if we didn't stop cursing. Which is really ironic, because implied by my mother, the reason I was never taught Italian was to save me from my grandmother's foul mouth.
Needless to say if you ever ate Pasta Fazool you would not curse it... This dish is a classic versatile peasant meal that everyone in your family will enjoy. It is traditionally made with ditalini pasta but I've always used orecchiette because my kids like the way this pasta sits on the beans like a hat.
My grandmother always made her Fazool vegetarian and served it on Friday nights when you couldn't eat meat, before Vatican II. I like throwing some pancetta, bacon, or left over ham into it, this really heighten's the sauces flavor.
Enjoy,
Diane
Pasta Fagioli (a.k.a Pasta Fazool)
by Diane Balch
Simplelivingeating.com
Preparation: 20 minutes Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta chopped small (or bacon, ham)
1 medium onion minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning Mix
2 tablespoons tomato paste
64 ounces of Chicken broth (or beef, vegetable broth)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of dried orecchiette pasta (or other small pasta)
2 15.5 ounce cans of small red beans (pinto, borlotti, etc.)
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped (or escarole, spinach)
Garnish: grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
1) On medium high, heat oil in a large sauce pan. Cook the pancetta. When it is almost brown add the onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook until onions wilt. Do not brown the garlic.
2) Add the tomato paste, continually stir it, and cook it for about 2 minutes until it starts to darken. Then add the chicken broth and pepper. Blend and bring to a boil.
3) Add the pasta and cook it half the time the package says if you are going to let the soup sit for an hour or more. If not cook it the full time.
4) Turn the heat off and add the beans and parsley. It is best to let the soup sit. Garnish with parmesan cheese.
5) VERY IMPORTANT: Check the salt and pepper before serving. Do not add salt until after you have added the cheese and tasted it. Both pancetta and cheese are salty the soup may not need any additional salt.
pasta fagioli, pasta fazool, Italian recipe,pasta, beans http://verygoodrecipes.com/italia
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I will be celebrating my husband's 50th birthday... a very fun weekend is planned. (Shh... it is all Top Secret!)
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I love Pasta Fagioli! We always ate it growing up and it looked very similar to your dish. Yum! I need to make this for my family.
ReplyDeleteKids really like it... thanks for stopping by.
DeleteMy husband loves Pasta Fagioli and asked for it just the other day. Yours sounds delicious and I must make it soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting each week. We must both be in a soup mood because I brought split pea soup and some secrets to making good soup. Have a great weekend.
Sam
So glad you brought your split pea soup, I was looking at it on your blog the other day, wonderful.
DeleteYum! I love Pasta Fagioli! Pinned ;) Thanks for the party, Diane. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteIs it the name? Pasta Fagioli just sounds like fun.
DeleteHi, this week I have shared my healthy 1 ingredient sweetener that can be added to any recipe and 15 quick and easy green smoothie recipes to kick off your healthy eating at the start of this year:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.greenthickies.com/date-paste-recipe
http://www.greenthickies.com/recipes/green-smoothie-recipes/
Many thanks for hosting
Cute-the pasta sits on the bean like a hat!!! I love this soup, it's filling and hearty. I love pancetta, don't use it enough!!! I like ditalini pasta, but my kids would like something "meatier". I have to try this! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe kids really get a kick out the bean in hat thing, enjoy.
DeleteFeel like grabbing that bowl, yummy pasta recipe! Thank you for hosting. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteI do too, but it is a little early in the morning. Hope you get a chance to try the recipe. thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHi Diane, Thank you for featuring my recipe on foodie Fridy. Btw, I loved your Pasta Fazool post, thanks for sharing a little Secret between you and your granny. I just love how these simple family traditions and humor just stays on. It gives me my food for thought for the day!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Nilanjana... yes I love food and family stories being connected.
DeleteHappy Friday Diane. Thanks as always for hosting such a fun party!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday! I love that soup and yours looks delicious! Have a great weekend, Deb
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I love this story!
ReplyDeleteHave fun celebrating and thank you for hosting, Diane.
Hi Diane,
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful memories about your Grandmother and your Pasta Fazool looks delicious.
Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for hosting!
Miz Helen
Thank you for hosting Diane! I shared my Better than Nutella recipe and video today! I hope you and your husband have a wonderful weekend of celebrating! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 50th birthday to your husband, Diane! I hope you all have fun. I loved the story about your Grandma, and her recipe sounds delicious. I've shared a Banana Gingerbread Quick Bread that is easy and delicious. Thank you for hosting.
ReplyDeleteHad a wonderful time crosscountry skiing with my husband... came back to a kid with 102 fever, of course.
DeleteHi Diane!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting your wonderful foodie party again. I enjoy linking up each week! I hope you have a fabulous weekend.
Julie
Happy New Year Diane! And congrats on your stroganoff feature - having also featured that on my blog when you posted it, I can see why it is a HUGE home run! Just looks so amazing!! Thank you so much for hosting Foodie Friday. I brought a Lil' dessert. :) Linked up and linked back.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend,
Claire
PS: Here was the link from your 11/12 feature - I thought I commented on your post at that time but I see I did not… so sorry!! It was my first "Best Of…" in the series. Anyway - you were featured!! :) http://alittleclaireification.com/2012/11/12/30-days-of-thankfulness-day-12-best-of-the-weekend-1/
DeleteThanks so much Diane for another party
ReplyDeleteI hope you're having a good weekend
Thanks Winnie,
DeleteWent cross country skiing with my husband in the Adirondack Mountains of Northern New York State. Really beautiful and romantic at the inn.
Yum! Hubby always orders pasta fagioli when we go to Olive Garden. I love the orecchiette substitution. I linked up my Very Vanilla Pudding Cookies, would love for you to come link up at my Pin It Thursday party http://www.sweetbellaroos.com/2013/01/17/pin-it-thursday-18/
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure... hope your husband enjoys a home cooked pasta fagioli.
DeleteHi Diane,
ReplyDeleteI just love this Pasta dish, it looks delicious. Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Perfect for the cold days we are having in the Northeast. Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week; I hope you’ll join us again!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
This looks like comfort food all the way! yum! Thanks for sharing at Foodtastic Friday!
ReplyDeleteWhat's really great about it.. is that it's healthy comfort food.
DeleteAhh pasta fagioli.... this makes me think of my grandma. :) Can't wait to try this version. I have never made hers so I'll have to ask her for her recipe to compare.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it. It makes me think of my grandmother's too.
Delete