WHITE PASTA FAGIOLI RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef until no pink remains.
• Add onion, celery, and minced garlic to the pot and continue cooking over medium heat until onions are soft. (If there is not enough fat in the pan from cooking the ground beef, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to aid in sauteeing the vegetables.)
• Drain the meat and vegetables of any excess fat.
• Add the carrots, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and Italian seasoning to the mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Once the soup has simmered at least 15 minutes, remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta.
• Serve with fresh herbs for garnish.
• Use diced tomatoes with jalapenos or chiles for a little spice in the soup.
• You can substitute chicken broth or even water for the beef broth, but I like the richness from the beef broth.
• If the soup is too acidic, add a teaspoon of granulated sugar.
• Add salt and pepper as needed to season.
• This is a nice, thick soup - almost chili consistency. You can add more broth if you’d like a runnier soup, but it’s really great as a thick, hearty soup.
• Try ground sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken instead of the ground beef!
• Cooking the pasta separately allows you to adjust how much much pasta you’re adding without losing any of the liquid content and it also prevents the noodles from becoming soggy in the soup.
• Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Make the simmered beans as directed, changing only the amount of beans (use 2 quarts water). Remove onion and bay leaf, using tongs or a slotted spoon, as directed. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain beans. Measure broth and top up with enough water to make 6 cups.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven and add chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and garlic and stir together for another minute, until garlic is fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, add sugar, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is very fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add broth from the beans, tomato paste, hot pepper, bouquet garni, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in beans and heat through. Taste and adjust salt.
• 10 to 15 minutes before serving, stir in pasta. When it is cooked al dente, taste and adjust seasonings, stir in parsley, and serve, passing Parmesan in a bowl.