Mom's Pasta Fagiole
By: Maria Boyer
Published: Sunday, February 28, 2010 - 8:11pm

Ingredients




1 cup ditalini
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained

Preparation

1 In a large pot, boil ditalini in salted water according to package directions. When "al dente," drain and set aside. 2 In a large saucepan, sauté the garlic in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the drained ditalini and the can of cannellini beans. Simmer until heated through. 3 Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

About


Everyone has their own version of this Italian classic in their head. The most obvious difference between most recipes is whether the dish is a soup or not. For me, what’s more important — what I ask before I order pasta fagiole in a restaurant — is: “Is it made with tomato?” “Tomato?” you are saying. “Of course it’s made with tomato! All pasta fagiole is made with tomato!” Not my mother’s.
That said, if you prefer a more soupy, tomato-based recipe, add the following to the above recipe:
    1 14-oz. can chicken broth
    1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes (petite diced would work as well)
    1 tsp. chicken bouillon
    1/4 tsp. oregano
Simmer 10 minutes, and serve sprinkled with grated cheese.