7-25-17 Pasta fazool (aka pasta fagioli)

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7-25-17   Pasta fazool (aka pasta fagioli)

Beans and pasta is a go to dish in Italian-American homes.  What makes tonight's dish a little special are the tomatoes I used, purchased online from Ditalia .com.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Penne pasta

2.     Cherry tomatoes

3.     Small white beans (Goya -  available in Paducah at Midtown Market)

4.     Olive oil

5.     Onion and garlic

6.     Fresh oregano, basil, and tarragon

7.     Sweet vermouth

PROCESS:

Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, then add the tomatoes and fresh herbs and simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Add the wine and allow the liquid to cook off.

Add the beans and continue cooking over low-med heat while the pasta is cooking.

Add the pasta to the tomato-bean sauce, along with a splash of the pasta water and mix well. 

COMMENTS:

We really like this brand of tomatoes and try to keep some on hand in our pantry.  You can use any variety of white beans in this dish, and also add any vegetable you have available.  It is as easy to prepare as it is delicious.

11-4…Sausage resumed…via Pasta Fagioli

The sausage I cooked last night is waiting for me in the fridge. My initial plan was to serve it over spaghetti or linguine, but since I don’t know when Patience will be home I’ll use it in a dish that can sit on the stove for awhile and only get better with time. It will also be a good dish to serve on a gray damp day.

INGREDIENTS:

Italian sausage with casing removed
Olive oil
Garlic
Green onion, chopped
Fresh basil
Cannellini beans
Sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage, remove, and drain off the fat. Add a tad of olive oil and cook the garlic and onion with the basil. Return the sausage to the pan and add the beans and sundried tomatoes and simmer until the sausage is cooked and the pasta is done.

Add the pasta to the pan and mix well. Serve with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

COMMENTS:

The sun dried tomatoes give this dish an added punch. Great comfort food.

Pasta Fagioli with zucchini and fresh tomatoes 8-22

Once again I’m faced with an abundance of zucchini that I can no longer ignore. Looking for a different way to incorporate it into a pasta dish I’ve decided to try a variation of pasta fagioli (pasta and beans).



INGREDIENTS:

Penne
Zucchini, diced
Cannellini beans (navy, northern or small white beans can be used)
Pancetta, chopped
Olive oil
Garlic, onion
Fresh tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
Fresh basil and oregano
Sweet vermouth or dry red wine

PROCESS:

Drop the tomatoes in boiling water for several minutes, remove, cool, peel, and coarsely chop. Save the water for the pasta.

Saute the pancetta in olive oil, add the garlic and onions and cook until soft. Add the zucchini and a splash of wine to deglaze the pan and the herbs plus salt and pepper. cook until the zucchini softens, then add the tomatoes and the beans and simmer covered over low heat.

COMMENTS:

I think of this as one of the “utilitarian” or peasant dishes from southern Italy…using what is available. BUT…I gotta tell you…it was delicious. I think it was the fresh tomatoes and zucchini that made the difference. Patience worked almost 13 hours today, so she is too brain numbed to comment.