Pasta e Fagioli

There are only THREE more posts left (including this one) from the Soup Connection Project in 2013. 

As a hallmark, this post will be a post of "3's." 

3 Facts about Pasta e Fagioli

1. Pasta e Fagioli means "pasta and beans." 
2. Fagioli is pronounced fah-joe-lee
3. It started as a peasant dish

3 Tips when making Pasta e Fagioli 

1. Cook your pasta before adding it to the soup. If the pasta is cooked in the soup, the starches released during cooking will absorb the liquid in the soup making it THICK. 
2. Use kidney beans to add color to the dish 
3. One "sprig" is about 2-3 inches long

3 tasty garnishes 

1. Freshly Ground Pepper
2. Chopped Parsley
3. Parmesan Cheese

It's as easy as 1-2-3. 

Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary, left intact
1 sprig thyme, left intact
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans small beans, any variety
1 c. crushed tomatoes
4 c. vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup small pasta (ie. Acini de Pepe)

Directions:

1. Heat a soup pot over medium high heat and add oil. Add herb stems, bay leaf, chopped vegetables and garlic. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
2. Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and broth to pot and raise to high heat. Bring soup to a rapid boil and add pasta.
3. Reduce heat to medium and cook soup, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente.
4. Remove herb stems and bay leaf from soup. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Nutritional Information (12 oz. serving): 220 calories, 9 g protein, 3 g fat, 5 g fiber