Pasta e Fagioli
Meet my favorite soup, Pasta e Fagioli. I love many types of soups, but I adore Pasta e Fagioli. When I make and eat this soup, I always think about my grandmothers, who made it often when I was growing up. I've eaten it in both Washington, DC and Spresiano, Italy, and it's delicious no matter on which continent I found myself.
I think many people are intimidated by using dried beans, opting instead for the more convenient, ready-to-use canned types. And while I most definitely do not eschew using canned beans in my cooking (I'm known to keep three to four different varieties in my pantry at any given time), I also love using dried beans because they're flavor and texture is completely different from their canned cousins, and the extra couple of steps to prepare them are not only worth it, but also very easy and practically hands-off. So if you'll indulge me, I'd love to give you some interesting historical background on Pasta e Fagioli (I think I'm becoming a food history junkie) and a quick tutorial on how to prepare dried beans, so if you fall into the not-so-sure-how-to-use-dried-beans camp, you'll come away from reading this post armed with the all the know-how you need to feel like a pro.
Pasta e Fagioli originated as a peasant dish, due to the wide availability of pasta and beans. Italians use legumes a lot in their cooking, but they are most widely used in the regions of central Italy: Tuscany, Abruzzo, Umbria and Lazio. However, in the Veneto region, located in the northeastern corner of the boot, you'll find some of the best Pasta e Fagioli around. This very region is where my paternal grandparents are from, and Pasta e Fagioli was always on the menu in their house.
The traditional bean variety used in Pasta e Fagioli is the borlotti bean (also known as the cranberry or Scotch bean). Many specialty grocery stores sell cranberry beans, and if you live near a Whole Foods, you're sure to find them there as well. Cranberry beans have a pretty white and deep pink marbled pattern on their skins, and when cooked, their taste is similar to that of chestnuts.
Cooking dried beans is a very uncomplicated and easy process. These instructions apply to all dried beans that require pre-cooking, such as cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, red and white kidney beans, cranberry beans, chick peas and fava beans. Lentils are the only exception and do not require precooking.
Pre-Cooking Dried Beans
Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
- Put the quantity of beans required for the recipe into a bowl and cover with cold water by about 3 inches. Leave the bowl out at room temperature overnight.
- When the beans have finished soaking, drain and rinse them with cold water. Put them in a pot large enough to fit the amount of beans you are using and cover with cold water by about 3 inches. Cover the pot with the lid and turn on the heat to medium. When the water comes to a boil, adjust the heat so that the cooking water simmers gently. Cook the beans until they are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Taste them perioidically to check for doneness.
- If you will not be using the beans right away, let them cool to room temperature and store them in their cooking liquid in the refrigerator. It is best to use them within two days of cooking them.
Now that you know how to prepare dried beans, you can bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen and make a batch of this hearty, flavorful soup, no matter where you live.
Pasta e Fagioli
Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan1 1/2cups dried cranberry beans
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1 ham bone with some lean meat attached or 1 1/2-inch slice pancetta, diced
1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes with their juice
3 cups low-sodium beef broth diluted with 1 1/2 cups water
1 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional)
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup ditali or tubetti pasta
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for sprinkling
Pre-cook the cranberry beans per the above-listed instructions. Drain and set aside.In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery and onion and saute until they begin to soften, making sure not to brown them. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt onto the vegetables and stir to combine. Add in the ham/ham bone or pancetta and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Add in the tomatoes with their juice and adjust the heat so that the mixture simmers very gently for about 15 minutes, making sure to stir often to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add in the drained, cooked cranberry beans and stir them thoroughly to incorporate them with the other ingredients. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the broth, water, Parmigiano rind (if using) and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil, adjusting the heat as necessary. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beans are fully tender, stirring periodically.
The density of the soup should not be too watery, so remove the lid from the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking to evaporate some of the liquid, and keep the soup at a gentle, steady simmer. Note: The soup will be thinner in consistency the day you make it, but it will thicken as it sits. Taste for seasoning and add more salt to taste if necessary. When the soup is finished cooking, add in the pepper and stir to combine.
Cook the pasta during the last 15-20 minutes of the soup cooking time. Drain and add to the soup once it is ready to serve. Sprinkle each serving of soup with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
|
Subscribe to RSS |
.jpg)
No comments posted