Pasta E Fagioli (Soup Or Is It Stew?)
Recipe: #16550
January 04, 2015
Categories: Beans, Italian, Sunday Dinner, High Fiber, No Eggs, White Beans, more
"After trying many different Pasta e Fagioli recipes and found them lacking, I finally found the perfect one. This recipe is a combination from 2 different chef’s and a bit of a twist of my own additions (David Ruggerio, chef on FoodNetwork many moons ago and Emeril Lagasse's essence seasoning mix). This is the best pasta fagioli I’ve ever had or made. The flavored oil and the Essence seasoning make this soup! It's great on cold winter evenings or for that matter any other evening. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. NOTE: The overnight bean soak time has been incorporated into the Prep. time."
Original is 5-6 servings
Ingredients
-
-
- FOR ESSENCE
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (307.6 g)
- Calories 478.7
- Total Fat - 28.2 g
- Saturated Fat - 5.9 g
- Cholesterol - 225.8 mg
- Sodium - 3167.1 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 36.8 g
- Dietary Fiber - 8 g
- Sugars - 5.6 g
- Protein - 23 g
- Calcium - 112.3 mg
- Iron - 5.2 mg
- Vitamin C - 23.5 mg
- Thiamin - 0.3 mg
Step by Step Method
Step 1
Soak the beans in water to cover overnight.
Step 2
Heat 2 tsp of the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon (if using) in the olive oil until it starts to brown.
Step 3
Add the onion and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add 5 crushed garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock (refer to note # 1 below). Add drained beans and add to the pot.
Step 4
Let it come to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook approximately 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender and cooked through.
Step 5
Meanwhile cook pasta shells as instructed per package directions; set aside.
Step 6
Once the beans are tender, add the Essence Seasoning, more or less to taste (refer to note #2 below) and correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove bacon from the pot.
Step 7
Also remove and reserve half of the cooked beans for garnish (or remove about 3/4 if you like more whole beans in your soup).
Step 8
Ladle the remaining beans and liquid into a blender or food processor, puree until smooth. Or if you own a hand-held-blender, puree the beans right in the pot, (If too thick, add more hot chicken stock until you reach the consistency of your choice). Check for seasoning.
Step 9
Mix in the reserved cooked pasta shells.
Step 10
In a small saute pan, heat the remaining 1/3 c olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 6 crushed cloves or garlic and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn (if it browns, the garlic will impart a bitter taste).
Step 11
Add the oregano and rosemary and sauté for 1 - 2 minutes. Let stand (You can make this oil 1 - 2 days ahead of time).
Step 12
Strain and reserved the flavored oil. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle in some of the reserved beans. Drizzle with a spoonful of the oregano-rosemary oil and serve. If you desire, serve with grated parmesan and crusty bread.
Step 13
NOTE #1: When cooking beans, never add salt before they are cooked through. It will toughen the beans. Always add the salt only when beans are tender. Keeping this in mind, if you use chicken bouillon or a stock that already contains salt, make sure you add bouillon cubes after beans are tender because bouillon contains salt. Substitute the chicken stock for water at the beginning of the recipe if bouillion is what you are using.
Step 14
Essence: Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Yield: 2/3 cup.
Step 15
NOTE # 2: Only use enough Essence to flavor soup as noted. Please DO NOT use the full measure. Store the rest for future use. This seasoning is terrific on many other dishes.
Tips
No special items needed.
4 Reviews
You'll Also Love
