Distefano's Pasta e Fagioli

   Last week our daughter who's married to a guy who's half Italian invited us for dinner.  I always anticipate going  there for dinner because most of the time it's something Italian.  This time when we walked in, our daughter was at the stove stirring a pot of her own recipe for pasta e fagioli. Just imagine that aroma. 

   When it was time to eat, my spoon was poised, and you well know that feeling when you take your first bite of a new recipe; it's like your taste buds are quivering if there is such a thing!  Then as you swallow, your brain is registering that wow factor, this is delicious, and then the immediate I must find out how to make this! 

   So, of course, as I savored every bite, I asked her all the questions.  And all of her answers are in the recipe below.  I did check a few other pasta e fagioli recipes to see if they seasoned with anything else but salt and pepper, and I found out a few used a bit of basil and oregano, and so I sprinkled a bit in at the end to pizzazz it up.


1.  Prepare vegetables:
(1)  Dice 3 carrots.
(2)  Chop 2 stalks of celery.
(3)  Dice 1 onion.
(4)  Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic.

2.  Cook beef & onion and celery - In a large skilled put:
(1) 1 pound of Italian sausage or pasture raised ground beef
(2)  When partially cooked, add the diced onion and celery and cook until everything is done.

3.  In a soup pot or crock pot put:
(1)  1 carton of chicken stock, one 15 oz. can of tomato sauce or whole tomatoes, plus 2 cups of water.
(2)  Add the beef with cooked vegetables.
(3)  Then add the carrots and garlic.
(4)  Stir in 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of cannellini beans.
(5)  Seasoning:  Stir in 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of black pepper.  I added 1 T of Better Than Chicken Bouillon to make the broth more flavorful and some basil and oregano.
(6) Taste and make adjustments.

4.  Meanwhile:  Cook 1 1/2 to 2 cups of small pasta and set aside until ready to serve the soup. 

Serve  up the soup into large bowls, then top with noodles and let everyone add their own  freshly grated Parmesan.


Other Bean Soups on this Blog:

Vi's Best Chili  (A  Bible study friend's great recipe)
Bethany's Crowd Pleasing Tortilla Soup  (One of my daughter's friends special soup)
Country Style Lentil Soup   (From my Heritage School cookbook)
Kathy's Texas Chili & Chips (From my Come & Dine cookbook)
Spicy Cuban Black Bean Soup (From a store recipe card)
Marilyn's Make It From Scratch Chili  (From my mother-in-law)
Lisa's Red Lentil Soup - From my friend Lisa
Texas Pinto Beans & Rice
Curried Lentil Medley   (From my Come & Dine Cookbook)