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 discovers 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 Italian 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 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 signs: Heavy use of tomatoes, crushed red pepper and a short round macaroni called 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 jarred sauce and ground sausage to go with the ground beef. Fun fact: Her original version got me an A for a cooking project in Home Economics when I was in 7th 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 4-ounce 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 box ditalini pasta, cook according to package directions or use your favorite small pasta
- 1 1/2 tablespoons basil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons 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 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 tablespoons oregano, sprinkle thyme and crushed red pepper on top. Combine.
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 remaining 15 minutes.
10. To Serve: Sprinkle parmesan cheese over individual servings.
Enjoy!
Find more recipes in the Where The Food Comes From Cookbook!
