Pasta e Fagioli

By á-17891

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb of ditalini pasta
• 1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 can of Ceci beans (garbanzo or chick peas)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp peperoncini or red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 7-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Water
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Details

Adapted from Masterchef 4.com

Preparation

Step 1

Grab a heavy bottomed soup or large sauce pot. Throw about 3 TBSP of EVOO in there and let it heat up. Drop in your peperoncini and toast them up.
Dice up 1 whole onion and chop three cloves of garlic. Throw them in the pot with a pinch of salt to break down the onions and sautee until translucent.
Next, open and drain the can of Ceci beans. Add them to the pot and toast them up slightly. Add some black pepper and salt.
Open and dump your peeled tomatoes into a bowl, and using the immersion blender, puree the tomatoes until completely smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use the regular blender or even a food processor). Add the puree to the pot. Your flame should be on medium high heat.
Stir, and then add enough water the pot so that just about 2-3 inches remains from the top of the pot. I like to use hot water so the temperature of the "pastancheech" doesn't go down.
At this point, add your basil, your bay leaf and a palm full of dried parsley. You may also want to taste for salt at this point. Once you have added your seasonings and tasted for salt, place a lid on the "pastancheech" and bring to a boil.
At this point you want to stir in 3/4 of a pound of ditalini. I prefer Colavita or DeCecco brand. They are nice and startchy. Once you have added your pasta, remove the lid, turn the heat down to medium low and let the pasta cook. This should take about 15-20 minutes total. Remember to stir frequently, cause the pasta will stick to the bottom.
When your pasta is tender, it's ready!
Top with good parm or pecorino and enjoy!!