This recipe for Pasta e Fagioli is essentially Italian sausage and garlic soup with white beans and escarole. Pasta Fagioli is a traditional Italian classic, known affectionately by many as “leftover soup.” Recipes are passed down through families, each with its own characteristics. This is the Villarosa family recipe as taught to me by my father, and it never fails. It’s a perfect one-dish meal for a cold night or a football party. This is a fantastic dish for making ahead, as it is often even better the day after cooking. It freezes very well, and freezes best without the pasta in the soup (prepare pasta when ready to serve).
Notes on ingredients:
Loose Italian sausage (not in casing) has become increasingly available in grocery stores. If you see it, it makes a great choice for this recipe because it eliminates the need for removing the casing in Step 2.
While I love escarole, it isn’t always easy to find. If you can’t find escarole, or want an extra burst of vitamins, substitute it with spinach, kale, or Swiss chard.
If you have a rind of Parmesan in your fridge or freezer, now is the time to use it. It will add a richness and nuttiness that can’t be beat. Add it to the broth in Step 5.
Traditionally, the pasta is drained and added to the soup. I prefer to do the noodles the Asian way, and keep them separate so they don’t absorb the broth and get too soft. For this method, add a serving’s worth of ditalini to a bowl and ladle soup on top.
The soup is fantastic with or without the can of tomatoes. It’s delicious both ways, so I usually make the decision based on what I have in my pantry.
The recipe calls for 6 cups of chicken broth, because I like the soup with lots of broth. For a more stew-like result, use 4 cups of chicken broth.
The soup is a meal on its own, but a loaf of crusty Italian bread is great for soaking up the delicious broth.
To dress it up for guests, a little fresh parsley makes a lovely finishing touch.
Tastes magnificent with beer and wine (red, white, or even bubbly).
1-1.25 lbs hot or sweet Italian sausage
At least one head of garlic. I use 3 when I double the recipe.
2 large onions
1 head escarole
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth, (possibly much) more to taste
1 15-oz can of white beans (cannelloni)
1 15-oz can of whole, diced or crushed tomatoes, optional
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
½ lb small pasta, such as ditalini or mini farfalle
Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste.
Prep. Put a large pot of cold water on high heat for the pasta. Peel and mince the garlic or put through a garlic press. Peel and roughly chop the onions. Clean, core, and chop the escarole into 1” pieces. Drain and rinse the beans.
Prep the sausage. Use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise slit in the sausage casing. Use fingers to push the sausage from the inside of the casing. Discard casing.
Brown the sausage. Heat a large cast-iron pan or non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Sear one side for 7-10 minutes before flipping it and searing the other side. Allowing the meat to cook undisturbed can be difficult (there is always temptation to stir) but it is the best way to guarantee that the meat browns with a slight crust, which will add to the complex flavor of the broth. Once the meat has achieved some dark and crusty spots, begin breaking it into bite-sized chunks with a wooden spoon. Drain most of the fat, leaving a tablespoon or less.
Sauté the aromatics. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil or butter and swirl to coat. Add chopped onions and sauté until they are soft and begin to brown, 5-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Start the soup. Add chicken broth, wine, sausage, and tomatoes (if using) to the soup pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Add the escarole and beans. Add the chopped escarole and beans and return soup to a simmer. Taste and adjust flavors with salt and pepper, or additional wine and/or broth.
Cook the pasta when ready to serve. Cook the pasta in salted water, al dente according package directions. If adding the pasta directly to the soup, cook it for at least 3 minutes less than package directions call for, because it will continue to cook in the soup.
Serve. The traditional method: add cooked pasta to the soup pot, stir, and ladle into bowls. The keep-the-pasta-firm method: add a serving of cooked pasta to individual bowls, and top with a ladleful of soup. Serve hot, passing freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes at the table. A loaf of crusty Italian bread never hurts!
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