Eenie Meenie Miney Fazooly
My inauthentic take on the ever comforting, carb overloaded, Italian Pasta e Fagioli.
Pasta.
Beans.
Pasta e Fagioli.
Two of the greatest things on the planet combined into one delicious dish.
This soup comes together in about an hour, making it the perfect dinner when someone in your home isn’t feeling well or when it’s surprisingly brick outside, and you need to warm your bones up. In this week’s case, both were true in my household.
Traditionally, Pasta e Fagioli would use dry beans, a long cook on the sofrito, and some kind of cured pork product to get that deep, rich, umami filled goodness. In my version, I shortcut those steps to keep the cook time down by utilizing both canned beans and fire roasted tomatoes for a nice smokey element, starting with a base of fantastic hot Italian sausage, a good splash of fish sauce, and throwing a Parmesan rind into the soup while it cooks.
Pasta e Fagioli aka Pasta Fazool
Serves 6
To be completely honest, I do not think this recipe is authentic to real Italian Pasta e Fagioli at all. Every time I have ever ordered this dish in New York, I am left wondering how it’s any different from a Minestrone, but all that aside, this recipe is delicious and really hits the spot on a cold winter day. Feel free to sub the orzo for any other small pasta shape, such as ditaliini.
1 pound hot Italian sausage
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp red chili flake, optional
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 14oz can petite diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups tomato passata
6 cups chicken stock
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 tbsp fish sauce
3 cups sliced Tuscan kale
1 14oz can white cannellini beans
1 cup dried orzo
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for garnish
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage and brown. Breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Once fully browned and a good amount of fond has developed, remove from pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the remaining sausage fat, sauté the diced onions, celery, and carrots until the onions turn translucent. About 5 minutes, season as necessary. Add the crushed garlic, chili flakes if you’re using them, and the oregano. Cook for another minute until the garlic is very fragrant. Add a splash of water to the pot and deglaze any fond that has formed on the bottom.
Add the fire roasted tomatoes, the tomato purée, and chicken stock to the pot along with the vinegar, agave, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil and season to taste.
Return the cooked sausage to the pot with the chopped kale and drained canned beans. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo in a separate pot until cooked to your liking. When the soup is ready to eat, add the drained orzo to the soup and season to tastes. Serve with a nice hunk of crusty bread and garnish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and more fresh ground black pepper.
Notes: If the pasta is added to the soup directly, it will absorb all the broth if placed in the fridge for leftovers. If you want to maintain the integrity of the soup in the fridge, consider storing the pasta separately.
