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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 80 Minutes |
Ready In: 80 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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This is my dad's modification of a recipe he saw on TV. It is one of the best pasta e fagioli recipes I've ever eaten. Thanks, Dad! Ingredients:
1 pound sweet italian sausage |
1/4 pound smoked bacon or pancetta, chopped |
1 pound ground beef |
2 onions, chopped fine |
2 ribs celery, diced |
2 cloves garlic, chopped very fine |
4 cups chicken or turkey stock, homemade if available |
1 - 8-ounce can tomato sauce |
2 (15.5-oz.) cans cannellini beans, with liquid, divided (or white northern beans) |
1 (15-oz.) can red kidney beans, with liquid |
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, with liquid |
1/2 teaspoon white pepper |
1 teaspoon dried ground thyme |
1 teaspoon dried oregano |
2 teaspoons dried basil |
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) ditalini (short tubular pasta traditional in this dish) (or subst. small shells or macaroni) |
1 cup cooked orzo pasta (like rice grains) or seme de meloni (like melon seeds) |
1 carrot, shredded |
optional: parmigiano cheese, as a garnish |
chopped basil (fresh if possible), as a garnish |
Directions:
1. Place a large, heavy soup pot, over medium heat. (Needs to be 8 quarts or more.)
2. Cook the sausage links with a small amount of water, covered, until the sausage has browned, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool.
3. Once cooled, quarter sausages and chop into 1/4 pieces.
4. Brown (NOT crisp) the bacon/pancetta in the same pot as used for the sausage links, using a little olive oil if necessary.
5. Add back to the pot the chopped sausage and ground beef, and cook until both have browned, about 15 minutes.
6. Next add the onions, celery, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
7. Add the stock and skim to remove excess fat.
8. Continue to cook at a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
9. In a food processor, blend tomato sauce with 1 cup of the cannellini beans until smooth to thicken soup.
10. Pour the mixture into the pot then add the remaining cannellini beans, kidney beans, tomatoes and herbs.
11. After 5 minutes, add the tubular pasta and simmer for 20 minutes.
12. Add the orzo and carrots and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
13. Add more water or stock if necessary to produce a thick stew like consistency. (The contents will continue to grow as the pasta absorbs more and more water.)
14. Serve topped with grated Parmigiano and chopped basil.
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