Donna Sanders is the Assistant Producer, Food Editor, and official photographer for the network television, YouTube, and National Ag in the Classroom series Where The Food Comes From. Let’s Eat: On the Road features reviews of some of the wonderful places the WTFCF crew discovered while traveling and filming, while Let’s Eat: At Home brings you recipes from our very own kitchen. But either way – Buon appetito!
Some call it Pasta Fazool others call it Pasta Fagioli or even Pasta e Fasul. And to make it even more confusing my family can’t decide if it’s a soup, a stew, or – the outlier – chili! But no matter how you spell or describe it we just call it delicious.
Fun Fact: Pasta Fazool is a traditional Italian peasant dish and there are so many variations based on regional influences. The only hard-and-fast rule is that it contains pasta and beans. If I had to guess, Mom’s recipe originated with our ancestors who emigrated from Naples. The telltale sign – heavy use of tomatoes, crushed red pepper and ditalini – the go-to pasta in Naples for bean and pea soups. [Yes I know – the pasta in the photo is elbow macaroni. We needed to substitute gluten free pasta for a family member and used what we had on hand.]
My mom has been making a version of Pasta Fazool since I was a kid. When I asked her if we could cook it together, she said, “Donna, you know how to make this.” And she is right – I do! Her original version. Since then, she has started using canned tomatoes instead of jar sauce and ground sausage to go with the ground beef. Fun fact: Her original version got me an A for cooking project in Home Economics when I was in seventh grade. Check out Pasta Fazool Mom’s Original Way using jarred sauce and a lot less cooking time.
It took a little convincing but mom finally agreed. It was interesting listening to her talk through the process. I wish I had my voice recorder on but I was trying to take pictures – often wrapped around her – and help as she prepared this dish.
Mom and I had a good time that afternoon. I can’t remember the last time we cooked together and I will cherish this memory for a very long time. In case you’re wondering the Pasta Fazool came out totally yum!
WITH THAT SAID – LET’S GET THIS POT BOILING!
What You Will Need
Equipment: large pot or Dutch oven
- olive oil
- 2 28 ounce cans peeled tomatoes
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 small jar chopped garlic
- 1 pound ground hot Italian sausage, or for less of a kick substitute sweet Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, do not drain
- 1/2 pound ditalini pasta, cook according to package directions or your favorite small pasta
- 1 1/2 tablespoon basil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- crushed red pepper, to taste – be mindful if you are using hot Italian sausage
- thyme
- 1/4 cup red wine
- parmesan cheese, for serving
What To Do
1. Remove yellow stem from peeled tomatoes and crush remaining tomatoes with your hands.
2. Generously cover bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven with olive oil.
3. Add chopped onion to the pot. Sauté on medium heat until soft about 10 minutes.
4. Add 1/2 jar chopped garlic to the onion. Continue to sauté until soft about 5 minutes.
5. Add ground sausage and beef. Break up meat while browning.
6. When the meat is browned: Add all tomatoes, 1 1/2 tablespoons basil, 1 1/2 tablespoon oregano, sprinkle thyme and crushed red pepper on top.
7. Pour in 1/4 cup of wine. Combine well.
8. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Note: Pasta and cannellini beans will be added 15 minutes prior to end of total cooking time.
9. Add 3 cans undrained cannellini beans and cooked pasta. Combine. Simmer for 15 minutes.
10. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over individual servings.
Enjoy!
Find more recipes in the Where The Food Comes From Cookbook!
