Day two, and we’re eating pasta. What got me about this one is how creamy the sauce looked and tasted, with absolutely NO CREAM. That’s what I’m talking about.
We added some fennel, which combined with basil and oregano and tomatoes, smelled, as Taylor put it, like a pizza parlor. Unfortunately, we went a bit overboard on the fennel, as it was quite overpowering in the final dish. A good flavor, but in moderation for sure.
Thanks to Marianne for sending us this lovely recipe – the blended beans instead of cream trick is something I will be SURELY using again!
Pasta E Fagioli
Makes 4-6 servings.
Ingredients:
5-6 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, or to taste
1 teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 (28-oz) can whole peeled or diced tomatoes
2 (16-oz) cans great northern white beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper, to taste
16 oz dry pasta, cooked al-dente according to package directions
1/4-1 cup reserved pasta water
Directions:
Heat oil in large sauce pan. Sauté garlic, onion, and spices on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, crushing with hands if whole. Allow to cook cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Using blender or wand, blend beans until liquid. Add to sauce pan, and cook for another half hour, re-seasoning if necessary. If sauce begins to get too thick or starts to stick to the pan, add some reserved pasta water to thin it out.
Serve over al-dente pasta. Sprinkle with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
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Does this taste like Pasta Fagioli soup??
This recipe sounds great. I will try it with Aldente Fettuccine, the brand which is fantastic and cooks in just 3 minutes, tasting just like homemade. Try it sometime. If you can’t find it in your local store, http://www.aldentepasta.com