Pasta Fagioli

This actually has two recipes.  The first one is for those times when you don’t want to take the time to use dried beans and/or if you don’t have a pressure cooker.  The second recipe is what I use when I take out my big pressure cooker and make a big batch of Pasta Fagioli. There’s nothing like cooking once and eating twice!

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 plum tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 fresh sage leaves, minced or ¼ tspn dried
• 3 c vegetable broth
• 1 16 oz can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 c ditali or small shell pasta, cooked

Preparation:

1. Braise the onion and garlic, in small amount of water until tender.
2. Add tomato, carrot, celery and sage. Saute an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add broth and beans and heat thoroughly.
4. Add the pasta, immediately before serving.
5. Sprinkle with soy, Parmesan (optional).

Pressure Cooker Version
(Big batch recipe for Pasta Fagioli)

Ingredients :

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 3 small carrot, peeled and diced
• 3 stalk celery, diced
• 6 fresh sage leaves, minced or 3/4 tspn dried
• 9 c vegetable broth
• 1 pound dried white kidney beans, presoaked
• 2 c ditali or small shell pasta, cooked – for each batch  (Do not add if freezing – instead add after defrosted and right before serving.)

Preparation:

1. Braise the onion and garlic, in small amount of water until tender.
2. Add tomato, carrot, celery and sage. Saute an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add broth and beans and heat until pressure cooker is at full pressure.  Cook at full pressure for approximately 10-12 minutes.  Release the pressure and check the tenderness of the beans.  If not the right texture, bring to full pressure again and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Once the beans are tender, divide the soup into two or three servings and freeze.
5. Add 2 cups of the cooked pasta immediately before serving.
6. Sprinkle with soy, Parmesan (optional).

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