Hi Friends! I don’t know what the forecast is where you are at, but I have the perfect soupto fill your tummy, to warm and comfort you on a cold and blustery night! Pasta e Fagioli! So if you haven’t heard of it, Pasta e Fagioli means “pasta and beans”, and it is a hearty and flavorful soup made with… you guessed it! Pasta and beans!

It is said to have originated as a peasant dish in Italy as the ingredients were both inexpensive and hearty. It is rich with flavor, and really hits the spot! Now there are all sorts of variations of it out there. Some include beans that are pureed, which thickens the soup. Some use pancetta or even a hamhock for a really rich flavor. Some use ground sausage. Some will be more of a red broth, and some will be more white. It is a delicious and beautiful dish, comfort food at it’s finest! So without further ado, lets begin!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of ground beef (you could also do ground sausage, or pancetta or simply skip the meat)
• Olive Oil
• 1 can dark red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can white northern beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 32 oz box chicken broth plus 1 additional box if needed.
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups Ditalini Pasta
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 carrots cleaned and chopped
• 3 celery stalks sliced
• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• red pepper flakes (we did just a pinch, but if you like it spicy, add to taste)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• 2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp pepper (more or less to taste)
• parmesan cheese

Brown the ground beef in a pan and drain the fat. Set aside.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a large pot, and add the carrots, celery and onion, saute over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook until tender.

This will reduce in size, and by the way, it will smell amazing!

Add 1 box (32 oz) chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, water, and all the seasonings.

Add in the ground beef.

In a separate pot, in boiling water, cook the ditalini pasta according to package directions, al dente. Drain the pasta.

Wash and Drain the beans.

Add the beans and pasta to the soup.

Allow the soup to simmer for several minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the chopped parsley and stir. Yum!

Now, I just have to tell you, this soup is begging for a nice crispy bread to serve with it. We made garlic bread and it was absolutely delicious! We also served it with a nice salad, fruit, and cherry cobbler for dessert!

My husband loves the veggies in the soup. Jake and I love the pasta, both eating it and saying it, “Ditalini”! What a great word!

Add some delicious parmesan.

Oh yes! Now let’s grab some of that crusty garlic bread.

So much goodness in this meal! The soup is chock full of tasty ingredients. I remember when we were first married, living in a condo, we would share meals with our neighbor on Sundays. Between our two kitchens, we almost always had enough ingredients to put something together. This soup reminds me of those meals. Most of the ingredients are the type of thing you could easily keep on your shelf, and they come together so beautifully!

It’s not expensive, it’s not hard to make, it’s just good! And it has this very comforting, fulfilling, delicious flavor. It reminds you of everything beautiful about home and family. Sitting down to a warm tasty meal, not fancy but absolutely fabulous. And as we each ladle a bowl from the same pot of soup, there is a special bonding, a union that happens! And as we grab crusty hunks of bread from the same loaf and sop up that delicious broth, maybe even spill a little on your shirt, you can’t help but smile! This is the best metaphor for all that is beautiful about being in a family! We “break bread” together, and enjoy a meal that replenishes our strength, and seeing each other’s smiles replenishes that longing in our soul to remember who we really are, and where our roots are. It builds into our confidence as it nourishes our bodies. It makes us feel the very best of what it means to be human. Sitting around that table is where the miracle happens in households of all sizes and types across our country and around the world.

I hope you have a fantastic week!

I’ll be back Friday for another Fashion Friday!

Love Always,

Amy

Eating together is shelter in stormy weather.   ~Chuck Harris