Asher Rose Fox (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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subtlehouse2020-12-13 06:48 pm
rosefox) wrote in subtlehouse2020-12-13 06:48 pm
Entry tags:
Pasta e fagioli ("pasta fazool")
Note: If using turkey bacon, add 1 Tbsp olive oil to make up for the lack of fat.
Note: For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth, use vegan Parmesan, and omit the pancetta and anchovies. You can replace some of the salt with smoked salt to make up for the lack of the pancetta flavor, or add miso and reduce the salt if you don't have vegan parm.
Note: The recipe as written makes about nine servings. If you don't need to make that much right away, prepare the entire base, but only prepare as much of the "To serve" ingredients as you need to serve right away, and store the rest of the base with a note on it for how many "To serve" ingredients it needs to be finished.
Ingredients
Base
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 oz pancetta or bacon, chopped fine
3 sweet onions, chopped fine
2 ribs celery, chopped fine
4 medium or 3 large carrots, chopped fine
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
8 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
6 anchovy fillets, minced to paste (about 2 tsp)
1/4 cup tomato paste (about one tube; use sundried tomato paste for extra flavor)
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, divided into 2 and 2, drained and rinsed
2 cups water
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
To serve
8 ounces small pasta (up to the size of elbow macaroni)
4 ounces grated Parmesan (if using vegan Parmesan, get a whole block and grate it yourself; don't use pre-grated)
a double handful of fresh spinach, left whole if leaves are small or chopped if not (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
0) Mise en place. Gather your ingredients and tools. Chop the pancetta (bowl #1). Dice the onion, celery, and carrots (bowl #2). Press the garlic, mince the anchovy, and mix them with the tomato paste, oregano, and pepper flakes (bowl #3). Drain and rinse 2 cans of beans, combine them with 2 cups of water in a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Drain and rinse the remaining 2 cans of beans (bowl #4).
1) Make the base. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vegetables, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and any liquid sweated out has cooked off, about 10 minutes. Make a space in the middle, add more oil if needed, and add garlic, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, and anchovies; fry, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add whole and pureed beans and broth, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes.
At this point, set aside any portion of the base that you're not planning to use yet. Make sure you reduce the quantity of the "To serve" ingredients to match the quantity of base you're using now.
2) Make the soup. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Add pasta and spinach. Cook until pasta is tender. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and basil. Ladle soup into individual bowls; drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, with more Parmesan to grate in as desired.
The finished soup does not store well, as the pasta soaks up too much liquid. The base keeps well in the fridge for 3 days and would probably freeze fairly well too.
Sources:
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/52-italian-pasta-and-bean-soup-pasta-e-fagioli
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/11137-pasta-e-fagioli
Note: For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth, use vegan Parmesan, and omit the pancetta and anchovies. You can replace some of the salt with smoked salt to make up for the lack of the pancetta flavor, or add miso and reduce the salt if you don't have vegan parm.
Note: The recipe as written makes about nine servings. If you don't need to make that much right away, prepare the entire base, but only prepare as much of the "To serve" ingredients as you need to serve right away, and store the rest of the base with a note on it for how many "To serve" ingredients it needs to be finished.
Ingredients
Base
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 oz pancetta or bacon, chopped fine
3 sweet onions, chopped fine
2 ribs celery, chopped fine
4 medium or 3 large carrots, chopped fine
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
8 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
6 anchovy fillets, minced to paste (about 2 tsp)
1/4 cup tomato paste (about one tube; use sundried tomato paste for extra flavor)
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, divided into 2 and 2, drained and rinsed
2 cups water
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
To serve
8 ounces small pasta (up to the size of elbow macaroni)
4 ounces grated Parmesan (if using vegan Parmesan, get a whole block and grate it yourself; don't use pre-grated)
a double handful of fresh spinach, left whole if leaves are small or chopped if not (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
0) Mise en place. Gather your ingredients and tools. Chop the pancetta (bowl #1). Dice the onion, celery, and carrots (bowl #2). Press the garlic, mince the anchovy, and mix them with the tomato paste, oregano, and pepper flakes (bowl #3). Drain and rinse 2 cans of beans, combine them with 2 cups of water in a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Drain and rinse the remaining 2 cans of beans (bowl #4).
1) Make the base. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vegetables, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and any liquid sweated out has cooked off, about 10 minutes. Make a space in the middle, add more oil if needed, and add garlic, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, and anchovies; fry, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add whole and pureed beans and broth, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes.
At this point, set aside any portion of the base that you're not planning to use yet. Make sure you reduce the quantity of the "To serve" ingredients to match the quantity of base you're using now.
2) Make the soup. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Add pasta and spinach. Cook until pasta is tender. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and basil. Ladle soup into individual bowls; drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, with more Parmesan to grate in as desired.
The finished soup does not store well, as the pasta soaks up too much liquid. The base keeps well in the fridge for 3 days and would probably freeze fairly well too.
Sources:
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/52-italian-pasta-and-bean-soup-pasta-e-fagioli
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/11137-pasta-e-fagioli