Pasta e Fagioli (from cooking class)

Category: primo (first course)

Ingredients
Serves 6-8 people

1 bay leaf (not the CA. bay leaves; check out bulk herbs at QFC)
1 can of CANNELLINI beans
2 cans of crushed PLAIN tomatoes (8oz cans)
1 can of plain tomato sauce
1 cup of Italian parsley
Parmigiano reggiano cheese (not the pre grated stuff; shudder!)
Barilla pasta of your choice or any pasta made with ‘semolina’ (serving for 8 is one box)
*optional addition* PITTED kalamata olives 1/4 cup (decrease salt if you do this)

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (Trader Joe’s has good prices)
1 large or medium yellow onion
4 cloves of crushed or finely minced garlic
1 carrot
1 rib of celery
1 tsp of salt (you can add more later if need be)
1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 cup of white wine or red (anything you have on hand)

Instructions
-In a large sauce pan brown (medium heat) your well chopped onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until light brown. 5 minutes.

-add the minced garlic and crushed pepper and brown an additional 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

-if onion starts to stick throw in some wine and the bay leaf.

-when onion,carrot, etc is soft throw in the ½ cup of wine and allow to evaporate.

-When wine has evaporated add the canned tomatoes and simmer on low for one hour.

-add salt.

-add the canned beans that you have drained and washed.

-salt to taste (stir in by the ½ teaspoonful)

-if you have pitted kalamata olives slice them and add to sauce now.

-when sauce is done allow it to rest. The longer it rests the better the flavor as the flavors ‘marry’ . This is a sauce you can make a day ahead if you like.

-taste the sauce to see if it needs more salt

-Before you throw the pasta (in the water)Prepare your parmigiano by grating it fresh!

-Chop your parsley right before you are ready to use it!

WATER: bring water to a boil and add 1tblspoon of rock salt (also kosher salt) or table salt
-add your pasta and cook for 8 min (don’t overcook)
-drain pasta and add to large sauce pan of sauce
-mix in the parsley
-serve pasta with a tablespoon or less of olive oil on top of each pasta helping and a good helping of parmigiano!


For a soupier version of this add some canned chicken stock (or homemade) or water and bullion cube to the sauce.
BUON APPETITO!