You may have heard of pasta fazool from the Dean Martin song, That’s Amore…When the stars make you drool, just-a like pasta fazool, that’s amore….
Pasta fazool is the Neapolitan name for pasta e fagioli, pasta and beans. Every Italian family would have its own recipe for this eternally popular meal. It was originally a peasant dish, made with inexpensive ingredients, usually without meat. I have eaten many versions of it in Italy, but I have never made it.
My lovely friends Enzo and Sharon (I have known them for more than 40 years) presented me with some fresh borlotti beans and some of the pasta they make themselves and sell at local farmers’ markets. Here they are at the Powerhouse markets at New Farm in Brisbane.
Time to make pasta and beans.
It is usually made with canned or dried beans, but I used my lovely fresh borlotti beans, which I peeled and cooked until just tender in boiling water. If you use dried beans they will need to be cooked in boiling water until tender. Canned cannellini or borlotti beans would need to be drained and lightly rinsed.
To make pasta and beans for 4 people you will also need.
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stick, diced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chicken stock
500 grams small pasta
Saute the onion, carrot, celery in a little olive oil for a few minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add stock, beans and pasta. You could also add tinned tomatoes (I did), in which case reduce the amount of stock a bit. Cook until the pasta is al dente.
I served my pasta and beans with grated Parmesan cheese.
Thank you Sharon and Enzo…pasta fazool..that’s amore!