Sicilian Pasta Fasul Pasta And Beans Recipe 435

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook celery, onion, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce, and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add pasta and cook 10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
• Add undrained beans and mix well. Heat through. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute garlic, onion, carrot, parsley, basil and oregano in olive oil until onions are tender.
• Add the tomatoes plus 1/4 cup of the can juices and the salt and pepper. Cover and stir frequently, simmering for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the cannellini beans and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain and toss with butter and Parmesan cheese. Add to cannellini bean mixture. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Steps:

• Soak the cannellini beans overnight and drain.
• Pulse the bacon, garlic, and rosemary in a mini-food processor to make a fine-textured paste or pestata.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the pestata, and cook until bacon has rendered its fat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, make a second pestata (you don't have to wash the processor) by puréeing the onion and carrot. Add the second pestata to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has dried out and starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
• Scrape the pestata to one side of the pan to clear a "hot spot," add the tomato paste, and let cook for a few minutes, until lightly toasted. Stir the tomato paste into the pestata, and add the drained beans, the potatoes, and the bay leaves. Pour in the water. Bring the soup to a boil, cover, and let cook at a strong simmer until beans and potatoes are tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncovering to reduce liquid about halfway through the cooking time. Stir in the salt.
• With a large wooden spoon, mash the remaining potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup. Return soup to a boil, add the ditalini, and cook until pasta is al dente. Season to taste.
• Serve soup with a drizzle of olive oil and some grated cheese.