Our thirteenth Family History Recipe comes from Jolana and is for “Pasta Fazool.”
Jolana explained that, “[t]raditionally, pasta fagioli was considered a peasant dish that uses stewed tomatoes, almost like a thick minestrone without the zucchini. I don’t know why it’s more Neapolitan Italian American thing to not include tomatoes, but that’s how my mother and grandmother made it.”
This was a new spin on a traditional food for us, but we were excited to give it a try! Taste Tester Jesse was prepared for his Tasting History debut. Like a seasoned pro (Get it? Seasoned? Because cooking? #DadJoke), Jesse went in for the sniff test followed by getting himself a large spoonful of this hearty bean-based soup. As you can tell from his smile, he was happy with this version of a classic!
Recipe: “Pasta Fazool”
Traditionally, pasta fagioli was considered a peasant dish that uses stewed tomatoes, almost like a thick minestrone without the zucchini. I don’t know why it’s more Neapolitan Italian American thing to not include tomatoes, but that’s how my mother and grandmother made it. – Jolana
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of macaroni
- 2 cans of Great Northern white beans (you can use dry if you want, but who has time for that?)
- Onion (how much wasn’t specified, I guess use a whole one or half to your taste)
- Seasonings: garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. (Again no specific amount, it’s to your taste)
Directions:
- Cover the bottom of a cooking pot with olive oil, enough to coat the bottom in a thinnish layer. Heat on low.
- Dice up your onion and put in the pot and let that cook until it’s golden brown and fragrant.
- Pour two cans of Great Northern white beans into the pot and bring the heat up to medium.
- Add your seasonings and let that cook for 10 minutes.
- Fill the pot halfway with water and throw in the macaroni. Stir and let that cook until macaroni is soft.
- Serve. (Optional: let it sit for awhile until it thickens more)