Pasta Fagioli

Pasta Fagioli is a beautiful Italian soup loaded with vegetables (mostly) so finely diced that you hardly notice they are there. White beans, ditalini (little pasta) and parmesan rinds add oomph to the soup and make it distinctly Italian. Pasta Fagioli does require a little bit of work (mostly it’s a pain to get out your food processor - but please do it) but it is really a wonderful, hearty and very intentional dish without being too heavy. I think you’re going to love it.

Pasta Fagioilo

Pasta Fagioilo
Yield: Serves 8
Author:

A delicious, hearty Italian soup

Time

  • Prep: 30 minutes
  • Cook: 2 - 2 1/2 hours
  • Total: 2 1/2 - 3 hours

Ingredients

  • 5 carrots – 3 coarsely chopped, 2 diced and reserved
  • 1 leek, white and pale green parts only, thoroughly washed and coarsely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 TB sundried tomato paste (can use regular tom paste)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 ribs of celery, diced
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 smoked ham hocks
  • 1 15oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 quarts chicken stock
  • 2 Parmesan rinds
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 15oz cans cannellini beans
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale (Tuscan kale), ribs removed and cut into inch pieces
  • 1 small bag of ditalini pasta
  • To serve: freshly grated parm, a swizzle of olive oil and crusty bread

Recipe

  1. Pulse 3 carrots, leek, garlic cloves and tomato paste in the food processor until finely chopped. Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add pulsed vegetables and season with s&p, stirring often for about 4 mins. The vegetables will start to soften and yield some of their liquid. Add the diced carrots and celery. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 15 mins or so to soften the vegetables.
  2. Add ham hocks and cook for 10 minutes more.
  3. Add in the canned tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you add them in to the pot. Add chicken stock, bay leaves and parmesan rinds here too. Simmer 30 mins with the lid of the pot slightly askew. Add cannellini beans and continue to simmer gently until the meat can be pulled from the ham hocks.
  4. Remove hocks from soup, discard bones and skin and add any meat back to the soup. Remove parmesan rinds and bay leaves.
  5. Now cook the pasta in a separate pot of salted boiling water about 1-2 minutes short of package directions. Drain pasta and add to soup. Do NOT skip this step and cook the pasta in the soup because it will soak up all the soup, overcook and the whole thing will be a mushy gummy mess. Check for seasonings and add more salt if needed.
  6. Serve in topped with a drizzle of nice olive oil and a generous amount of parmesan with a slice of toasted crusty bread alongside.
Dinner, Lunch, SoupMary Bell ClementComment