Thursday, August 19, 2010

Pasta Fazool

I love facebook! It's such a fun way to connect with people. You may be asking yourself,  What does that have to do with Pasta Fazool? Well, tonight I asked the question - What is it called in your family - Pasta Fagioli or Pasta Fazool. Pasta Fazool is the hands down winner. Nanny always called it Fazool but as I got older I was "corrected" by someone who calls it Fagioli. I don't have to worry anymore, my facebook friends have given me permission to call it by the name I grew up with - Fazool! Thank you! If you aren't already a follower come check out my facebook page by clicking HERE. Please feel free to get involved in the conversations, it's fun!  I also have another hobby so if anyone is looking for some home decorating and design tips please follow me HERE.  I don't have a ton of followers there but would love to get some conversation going so don't be shy!

Tonight I made a version of Rachael Ray's Pasta Fazool but changed somethings around.  You can see her original recipe here.  Below is how I made it with some changes. The recipe is pretty basic but the addition of the cheese rind and the crushed red pepper gives it great depth. You can make this spicy if you like,  I just like a little kick and just to clarify - a little kick for me is nonexistant to Steve and probably most people. 



Pasta Fazool


Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 cloves garlic,  minced
1 8 oz can delmonte tomato sauce
approx 3 cups of chicken broth
1 packaged of diced prosciutto or pancetta
2 - 15 oz cans of cannelini beans
2 bay leaves
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
5-6 basil leaves
1 rind parmigiano reggiano (optional)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of orrechiette pasta or any small shape


Directions:

In a large saucepan saute prosciutto in extra virgin olive oil.  When browned add onion, garlic, carrot and celery.  Season with salt and pepper and lower heat.  Sweat the veggies until the onions are translucent.  Add bay leaves, italian seasoning, red pepper, delmonte, 1 can of beans drained and 1 can drained and rinsed  (You want some of the starch to thicken the sauce but not too much) and the chicken broth.  Cover and let mixture come to a boil, then add the basil and cheese rind if you are using it. Let cook for 10 minutes or so or until veggies are tender.  Taste and adjust seasoning according to your taste.

In another pot cook pasta in boiling water.  When pasta is just under al dente add to saucepan using a slotted spoon.  (Some of the starchy water will fill the pasta and help create a tasty thick sauce).  Toss the pasta with the beans and sauce and let cook a minute until pasta is al dente.

Enjoy!


Click here for a printable version of this recipe.


34 comments:

Theresa said...

Well, as a child I hated when my mother would make this dish. I would pick out the beans and eat the pasta! As we grow older our taste buds change and now I absolutely love this dish!!!!

Susan @ SGCC said...

We called it pasta fazool too. Whatever you call it, it's delicious! One of my ultimate comfort foods.

Dionne said...

Yummerifical! I love the name, hehehehe.

Mrs. Pierce said...

i grew up with my grandpa calling it pasta fazoul, and later on in life i heard the alternative fagioli. i actually looked into it, and it has to do with dialect. but they all mean the same thing so no worries! and yes i stuck with fazoul.

Christine said...

So excited to see this post! Pasta fazool and pasta fezeel (mac and peas) were staples in our home. Probably because they were cheap to make. My mother made her pasta fazool a little different so I am so excited to try your version! YUM

Christine said...

So excited to see this post!! Pasta fazool and pasta fezeel (mac & peas) were staples in my home growing up. My mother made her pasta fazool a little different so I am excited to try yours. YUM!!

Niki said...

Looks like something my Nanny made growing up too, there is nothing like some comfort food.

Reeni said...

We called it fazool too! And as a kid I wouldn't even taste it. Love it now! Super comfort food.

DutchBakerGirl said...

No matter how it pronounces...this looks delicious!

Val said...

Wow, this looks so good. Warm and cozy dish. I love your blog!!

Grace Blanshan said...

I absolutely love your site. Both my Nanny and Poppy came from Italy and I have so many of their recipes just like yours. Keep em coming! Ive shared this blog with everyone I know!

Mary Bergfeld said...

You did a great job with this Michele. Good enough that you can call it whatever you want :-). I'm new to your blog but plan to be back often. I love the food and recipes you feature here. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

Laura said...

Mmmm, one of my favorites. Looks great!

Delicious Dishings said...

I love pasta fazool! The version I make comes out pretty thick more like a pasta dish than a soup. I'd love to try this soupier version too!

Robyn MacLarty said...

This reminds me of that Dean Martin classic: 'When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool...' from That's Amore... I MUCH prefer that title fagioli. Love your blog - so looking forward to exploring!
Robynx

Kristen Andrews said...

looks delicious!

Kimberley's Front Porch said...

It's called Pasta Fazool in my hubby's family too. : )

Your dish looks yummy.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great blog! I love it.

Jonathan
Gourmet Cookies

whozyerdanny said...

Great classic dish. Thank God for our Italian grandmothers!

Pam said...

I love this soup... it's hearty, healthy, and tasty!

Barbara GF said...

This is pure comfort food, Michele. Life would be dull without "fazool"!
I am passing along a little award to you. Come get it here: http://blogs.poughkeepsiejournal.com/dishnthat/2010/11/22/a-versatile-blogger-passes-it-on-to-10-more/

Chelly said...

Ha Ha! We called it Pasta Fazool also!!! So funny.

Claire said...

My godmother always had "pasta fazoo" ready to eat!! I miss her & her sauce w/pork & OMG those cuccidati were to die for

fabuLiz said...

I used to look forward the trips to Altoona to visit my step-grsndparents when I was growing up. If we were really lucky, Gramma Dolores would have her delicious version of Pasta Fajool (not sure how she spelled it but it was pronounced not with a hard 'z' sound, but more like a 'j' as in dijon. Not quite fagioli, as the 2nd syllable still rhymes with ghoul just like fazool!) Anyway Dolores' was in a red sauce base, with garbanzos, or "chick peas" as she called them, taking on the bean role. It also had something called bracciole (i think) which was beef (flank or round steak maybe?) pounded very thin, spread with an herb & garlic concoction, rolled up & fasten with toothpicks. But the BEST part was the pasta... freshly made and hand rolled, cut into strips with a knife, and dropped into the simmering sauce, not boiling water, to cook; resulting in thick tender but chewy, flavorful noodles that easily held up after reheating (at least once!!) I regret not pressing her for a solid recipe before she passed away. She did it all from memory so putting it to paper was never something she was all that interested in. I did watch a lot when I was little. One of these days I will embark on the quest to recreate Gramma Dolores' Pasta Fajoul!!!

matscom said...

Dino Martin sang, "...makes you drool, lika pasta fazool, that's Amore....

Howard Marcalle said...

I was looking for this recipe as fazool for s long time, thanks, great memories and great taste!!!!!!!!!

Sussie said...

I too was corrected tonight on facebook! Go figure! I knew it was Fagioli and I opted to post, "Pasta Fazool" at my house tonight!.. Oh boy, I thought FB walls were going to come unglued LOL ;) either way, it was really nice finding that your Grandmother called it Fazool! Thanks for your blog!

Jim Robinson said...

I go with the Dean Martin "Amore" version. "When the stars make you drool just like Pasta Fazool" that's Amore.

Bill said...

We called it Pasta Fazool also and it will be noted as such on my menu in my restaurant!

jill said...

A few years I decided to gOogle what my ears heard my nanny say, "pasta VA zool.". I really wanted the recipe! And came up with nothing. I'm sure she was saying "fazool"... I wish she was still here to cook
Some up. She
Made her own pasta for pasta "vazool" and Pasta cici. Mmmmmmm! I miss her! And I live that there
Are
Others out there with an Italian "nanny.". When
I talk about my nanny, friends think
I grew
Up being raised
By a live-in childcare giver!

Unknown said...

We always called this Pasta Fazool also. My grandmother's recipe was basically the same as you have posted. My mom said that her family pretty much lived off of this dish when growing up during the depression. Beans were fairly plentiful and the pasta was homemade. My grandmother grew all the rest of the ingredients. I still make this 3-4 times a year with homemade bread.

Harry DeBari said...

Pasta e fagioli e sec, or "dry pasta with beans" was Americanized into pasta fazool...there are two types-one a soup, one a pasta. My mom's pasta fazool is not soupy, its pasta with beans and yes, Fazool!

Joe S. said...

Pasta Fajol has been the " go to " recipe in my family for generations. I have eaten this Italian comfort food all over the world but when I spotted your recipe it brought back memories of MY family's one of a kind ( lost with my Nana ) recipe. Now I have a VERY close rendition of my old family recipe thanks to you.

Unknown said...

When I was a child, I heard the grown ups talking about Pasta Fazool. I thought it was a curse word so went around saying it. I thought it was great that I could swear and get away with it!!! One day when I said it, Mom replied with "You want some?". I said 'Yeah. Make me some.". I thought it meant s**t so I couldn't wait to see how she made it! LOL!
She made the best stuff I ever tasted!
I moved far away from Mom and every time she would visit, she would make a batch for me!
Mom has been gone 20 years now. My biggest regret is I did not get her recipe for it.
I am going to try yours since it has most of the stuff I remember in it.
Nancy