PASTA e FAGIOLI

There are many recipes for pasta e fagioli which is a classic soup of beans, pasta, tomatoes and vegetables. The vegetables in this recipe can be interchanged with others depending on your preference.  For example you can add carrots and or fresh green beans.  I used frozen grape tomatoes instead of fresh or canned tomatoes.  The traditional pasta that is used in this recipe is ditalini but I used another dried short pasta.  I cooked the pasta separately from the soup as I didn't want to overcook the pasta.  Cooking them separately worked well.  With a slice of fresh bread this was supper for me.  I also sprinkled Parmesan cheese on the soup after it was ladled into a bowl.  Both the DH and I enjoyed this bowl of soup.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 small zucchinis, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 to 1 1/2 cups of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp spaghetti sauce
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
6 oz uncooked short pasta
3 cups of cooked beans - cannellini, kidney, or other beans
2 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a large soup pot to medium high heat.  Saute the onion, garlic, celery and zucchini for 3 to 4 minutes.  If the vegetables are sticking to the pot, add a little bit of water.  Add the chicken stock and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.

While the soup is on simmer, the pasta can be cooked.  In a separate pot, heat water for pasta to a boil.  Once the water boils, add the pasta.   Cook pasta to al dente.  Drain in a colander.

Add the beans, chopped spinach and Italian seasoning to the soup.  Turn the heat up to medium high.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the pasta and chopped parsley to the soup.    Cook for 2 more minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 8.