Pasta e Fagioli, Veg Rich Pasta & Beans

Once a poor man’s meal, padding out a meagre bean harvest with pasta, Pasta e Fagioli is now an Italian comfort food with lots of regional and household variations.

At its simplest it is just pasta and beans, with meat and/or vegetables if available. I make it like I make Minestrone, but with more pasta and less tomato.  I use ham or bacon in my Minestrone, but ingredients can simply be left out or swapped to make a vegetarian or vegan meal.

Serves 4

1 onion, peeled and finely diced

1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1/2 tsp chill flakes

1 tbsp olive oil

500g diced vegetables, including 1 stick of celery and 1 carrot. I topped up with homegrown courgette as I like to add something green. You could add cabbage, kale, leek, peas, green beans, fennel, sweet potato, potato... There are no set ingredients!

100g smoked ham/bacon (optional)

400g tin borlotti, pinto, or cannellini beans

200g macaroni 

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock 

1 medium tomato, finely diced

50g parmesan, or extra mature cheddar in our house

Fry the onion, garlic and chilli gently in a pan big enough to take a litre of stock + veg.

When the onion is translucent and soft, add the diced vegetables, cover and fry/soften for 5-10 minutes checking from time to time that they are not catching on the bottom of the pan.

When the vegetables are beginning to look soft and slightly brown, add the meat if using. Stir the meat around for a minute or so then add the stock, pasta, and beans including any liquid from the can. 

Bring the stock to the boil then turn down to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes until the pasta is  soft (it takes longer in stock than it says on the packet). Whilst waiting, finely chop the tomato and mix in the grated cheese. I blitzed the tomato in a mini food processor as I have a child who does not like discernible bits of tomato.

When the pasta is soft, turn off the heat, stir though the tomato and cheese mixture, cover and leave standing for 5 minutes for the pasta to absorb a little more of the stock and cool a little. 

Serve, with extra cheese and chilli oil if desired.

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