Episode #203 - Pasta e Fagioli
Debi and I are finally back in Los Angeles, between the stove and the camera...very happy feeling.
Today we are unveiling you the secret of another very ancient and traditional dish: Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta in a thick Bean Soup).
Again, as we never will
get tired telling you, this is another family recipe,
everybody in Tuscany cooks it in their house, and
there are a lot of variations.
The one I learned to cook comes straight out of my
grandmother's kitchen: "Please don't tell your father
I suggested you use pork!", she said...
Don't worry Nonna, dad does not look at my recipes on
the web, our secret is well kept.....for the moment
at least.
Come in,
let's get cookin'!!!
Serves:
6
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus the time
to soak the beans)
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Lb Dark Kidney Beans
1 Lb Pork Ribs
¾ Lb of pasta (better if large, like rigatoni)
8 Cups of water
3 Cloves of Garlic
2 handfuls of Rosemary
8 Oz. Pelati
Salt, Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive oil
Preparation:
Rinse well the beans and Soak them
overnight.
Bring your 8 cups of water to a boil, add the beans,
stir well, and cook for about 40 minutes.
Broil the pork ribs in the oven. Season them with
some salt and pepper, cut them apart and lay them on
a large tray and put them in the oven…you should
settle for nothing less than a nice golden brown
crispy skin.
In a non stick pan saute’
the garlic and the rosemary in about 2 tbs of Olive
Oil.
When the beans are cooked, take them out of the water
and puree them, and then put them back into the pan;
save some beans intact, it will help the look and the
texture of the soup.
Add the garlic and the rosemary, along with the oil
you sautéed them in, the 8 Oz. of Pelati and the
broiled ribs.
Add salt and pepper to your likings.
Stir well every 5 minutes, for about 20 minutes.
Give a chance to the tomatoes to brake, get into the
sauce, and then be patient while the soup starts
thickening.
In a pot of salted water, cook the pasta, and rinse
it with a sprinkle of cold tap water, right after you
drain it. Put it into a large bowl, add some oil and
stir well; this will help the pasta stop cooking and
stay separated, ready whenever you are, to be added
to the soup.
When the beans are ready
serve them in individual bowls (with or without
adding the meat, depending on your taste or your
guests&rsquo
, add some pasta, sprinkle with
pepper and some extra virgin olive oil. Parmesan
cheese is always an option, even if in this case
not really my favorite…still worth trying, I
guess.
Buon Appetito.
Debi & Gabriele
