White Bean Pasta e Fagioli Recipe

Once the cooler weather arrives, I find myself wanting to make more dishes such as this one. Hearty and filling, this "white" version of pasta e fagioli of mine is really a meal on it’s own.

Serves 4 To 6

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups Cooked Cannellini Beans (See My Article Cannellini ~ The Pride Of Tuscany For More Information)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Carrots, Peeled And Chopped
2 Celery Stalks, Chopped
1 Small Red Onion, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
4 Large, Ripe Plum Tomatoes
4 To 5 Cups Chicken Broth
Salt & Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 Cups Small Dried Pasta Of Choice (Small Shells, Tubetti, Or Macaroni Are Good Choices)
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil To Serve

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add 4 cups of the broth, and the beans to the pot, and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and half of the parsley. Cut the tomatoes in half, and gently squeeze to remove most of the seeds. Cut off the core end, and then cut the tomatoes into small dice. Add the tomatoes, and pasta of choice to the pot, and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, adding a little additional broth to the pot if mixture is too dry. Stir in half of the parmesan cheese and remaining parsley and mix well. Serve in individual bowls, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top. Offer a sprinkling of additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Simply serve with some crusty Italian bread, and a crisp, mixed green salad. If time is an issue, you can simply use canned white beans instead of cooking them yourself.