Pasta e Fagioli
A traditional peasant recipe that is a great, stick to your ribs dish, Pasta e fagioli or pasta fagioli, simply means “pasta and beans”, referring to the two main ingredients in the dish. This traditional Italian favorite started as a peasant dish due to being composed of very inexpensive ingredients and most often is one dish that would be prepared at home for family, and not guests. Today Pasta e Fagioli can be widely found even in restaurants, although it may be pronounced pasta fazool in the United States.
Pasta fagioli is commonly made using cannellini beans or borlotti beans and some type of small pasta such as elbow macaroni or ditalini. The base is generally olive oil, garlic, minced onion, and spices, along with stewed tomato or tomato paste, and some broth or water, although some variations do not include tomatoes at all, and are made from only broth. Modern restaurant recipes may be vegetarian, or include an Italian meat such as prosciutto or pancetta as I have used in my version. If you want a vegetarian version of this dish, simply skip adding the pancetta, and use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. I add onions, carrots, and celery to my recipe, although I keep them chopped small so that the beans and pasta remain the stars of this dish.
This recipe also varies greatly based on the region or town in which it is prepared, as well as depending on available ingredients. The consistency of the dish can vary, as some renditions fall clearly in the soup category, usually because the tomato was left out, while others are much thicker and would be considered more of a pasta dish. There is always a debate whether this dish should be included in the soup or pasta category, so I am including it in both!
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2011
Pasta e Fagiole
Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
A traditional Italian dish made of pasta and beans that was born out of peasant cooking.
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Large Carrot, Finely Chopped
2 Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Pancetta or Bacon (Optional)
6 Peeled, Seeded and Chopped Ripe Roma Tomatoes (or About 1 (14 Ounce) Can Chopped Tomatoes)
1 Quart Chicken Broth
2 (14 Ounce) Tins Cannellini Beans (or Equivalent, Prepared From Dried)
1 1/4 Cup Small Pasta (Tubettini or Ditalini)
1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Dash Of Red Pepper Flakes
To Serve:
Good Quality Olive Oil
Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Chopped ParsleyDirections:
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot, then cook the onion, carrot, pancetta, and celery until soft.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Pour in the broth, beans and chopped tomatoes, and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove a few scoops of the bean mixture and puree or mash, then return to the pot.
Add the pasta, chopped parsley and seasonings.
Cook until the pasta is cooked al dente.
Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of olive oil, the shaved cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
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A hearty dish, I really like this.
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This is my kind of dish! I can’t wait for the weather to get cooler here so I can tuck in and start making some soup!
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I haven’t made this recipe, but it sounds pretty close to what Dad makes — and Dad’s is pretty unbeatable! Dad uses Italian sausage instead of pancetta. The pot empties pretty quick. I’ll be making this recipe very soon — with the sausage substitution. I am my father’s son!
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Ciao Deborah,
This is my first comment on your site – and long overdue it is! My father, whose own dad emigrated from Montesilvano in Abruzzo in the early twentieth century just loved “Pasta fazool”. It was a dish that was not entrusted to my mother to prepare. Oh no. Dad made it, and enjoyed every second he spent at the stove. And interestingly enough even within his family there were variations on the theme; my dad preferred it without tomato, but his brother Dean added tomato. Go figure! I wrote about this dish and others in an article called Dad’s Favorite Dishes, and as I was preparing my notes, what really struck me is, as you noted, this dish, formerly the province of home cooks and a staple of la cucina povera, is now served in the very toniest of restaurants – sometimes at $24.00 per bowl. My dad would just be amazed. Reading your recipe this morning made me think of my dad, Bill Crocetti, and that made me smile. Grazie, Deborah, for a terrific post and for some terrific memories. Happy New Year to you and yours.
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“Pasta fazoi” as the Piemontese side of my family calls the soup/pasta. As for me the dish isn’t authentic unless long home made eggless noodles are used, not being one to whip up a batch of such noodles at a moment’s notice I use Chinese flour and water noodles which are a perfect substitute… Once the soup has finished cooking then a goodly amount of strong garlicky pesto is introduced, ah, then tutto e’ a posto. During winter olive oil is drizzled over the “minestra”, during summer good strong red wine vinegar is used which is delicious.
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Well…..its Super Bowl time again and it really is time to refresh and shed those old and tired American Super Bowl favourite foods like Chili…Chicken wings…Sausage..etc…. This year we’re turning it Canadian Italian…Im preparing a meal for 20 or so….and its Pasta e Fagioli…Italian Crusty bread…Anit-Pasto Misto…Italian deli meats….Pasta Aglio e Olio…etc….oh….yes….and lots of Vino……. and if the Super Bowl gets boring…we’ll turn on the Italian Soccer Game…. !!!!!! To All Our American Friends… Buon Appettito………….
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First, totally LOVE the new website! The photography is beautiful! Makes me want to try EVERYTHING! Secondly, making this wonderful soup today as we have had our first snow fall of the winter! And lastly, could not agree with Maurizio more! Always whip up a huge pot of “Sunday Sauce” with everything but the kithcen sink on Super Bowl Sunday! My husband loves me extra special that day!
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Deborah Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Thanks Cathy, I appreciate that! I love the new design too. Lindsay of Purr design did a great job.
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