Pastafazool - Italian Pasta and Bean Soup Recipe

Pastafazool is a rich Italian-American pasta and bean soup recipe. This hearty soup can be thinned-out with more stock if desired, but it's traditionally served thick, with lots of Italian bread to dip in. Almost any sausage can be used in this recipe, or leave it out for a lighter pastafazool.

Makes 4 Large Portions of Pastafazool

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and black pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 quart chicken or beef stock (more if needed)
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound Italian sausage, cooked and cut into slices
• 2 cups dry pasta (Elbow, Penne, Shells, Orecchiette, etc.)
• 2 cans (14 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
• grated Parmesan cheese to garnish, optional

Preparation:

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium flame; add the onions, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic, tomato paste, dried herbs, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; sauté for 2 minutes more.

Add the stock, water, and sausage; bring to a simmer over med-high heat, and add the pasta. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Add the beans and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until they are heated through. Turn off heat, stir in parsley, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: If you want a thinner soup, simply add more stock to the soup when you add the beans.