No matter where we live or what we seek in our hunger and loneliness, food is necessary for life. It's the great common denominator. We all have to eat. This unassuming soup (Past Fagioli) - in Brooklyn slang it's pasta fazool - is made of pasta and beans in tomato broth is true Brooklyn soul food. You can feed an army with it on a few bucks. It's comforting and tummy warming and can be thrown together quickly when you are pressed for time.
Back in our Brooklyn days - when we were slender and young and unconcerned with cholesterol and saturated fats - we saved bacon fat to sauté the garlic, a custom left-over from the Depression, I suspect. You can still do that if you are not fighting the battle of the bulge. It does add a nice, smokey flavor and, if you've saved it from your breakfast bacon, it's certainly a cheap fat. Nonetheless, we use olive oil these days and tend to avoid bacon.
If you have time, the most economical way to make this dish is prepare your beans from dried beans. Follow the package directions. In the interest of speed, I use canned beans here. Back home, I would only have used Progresso beans if I didn't do the beans from scratch. These days in California, I'm more likely to use canned beans from Eden Organic Foods. Times, people, and priorities change, but both brands taste good.
Photograph courtesy of Eden Foods.
Warning: Do not use quinoa or corn pasta in this dish. Brown rice pasta works best.
PASTA FAGIOLI (Pasta with Beans)
The recipe
Serves six
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil, does not have to be first press
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 1 quart of water
- 2 cups of brown rice pasta, cooked and rinsed
- 1 can of cannellini beans or red kidney beans, drain the beans and rinse
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 1/2 cup of fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 small white onion, slivered
- 1/2 cup of store-bought or homemade pesto (optional)
- sea salt to taste
- freshly grated Romano cheese
Variations: If you have left-over carrots, or meat, or sausages, they are easily and happily added.
Photograph courtesy of Progresso Foods.
Progresso soups are not wheat-and-gluten free.
Progresso soups are not wheat-and-gluten free.
Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product.
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