Pasta e Fagioli

[maggiethecat]

Pasta e Fagioli

Serves 6 as Hors d'oeuvre.

My husband's grandmother, Annunziata Rovai to the world and Nonna to us was born near Naples, moved to Chicago as a baby, and married Luigi Rovai, master ladies' tailor (he supplied Mrs. Potter Palmer's wardrobe)and stern gourmand Toscani from Lucca. Nonna had great genes and an attitude --she got the phone call from President Reagan on her 100th birthday, and lived for three more years. She rather scorned Pasta e fagioli (Always given the full Tuscan pronunciation -- no pasta fazool) because it was an easy poor man's dish. But during Lent, it made an annual appearance, sometimes including canned tuna.

Epicurious.com has a similar recipe, and I've cribbed, but adjusted.

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

A pound can of diced Italian plum tomatoes,chopped

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained -- or red kidney beans or garbanzos -- Whatever was handy.(She always used canned)

Salt and pepper

Half a pound of cooked elbow mac

Grated Parmesan

Preparation

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a frying pan.. Add garlic and stir until brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add parsley, basil and oregano and simmer until tomatoes soften, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes. Add beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place pasta in bowl. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pour sauce over and toss thoroughly. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.

Keywords: Main Dish, Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Beans, Pasta

( RG2106 )