Pasta E Fagioli Bake

This is the kind of comfort food that's hard to pass up! Pasta e Fagioli, that beloved Italian soup, is turned into a casserole, topped with bread crumbs and Romano cheese, and baked until golden on top. Delicioso!!

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  ditalini (1 3/4 cups)
• 2  slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1  medium onion, diced
• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15 1/2ounce) cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained (cannellini)
• 1 (16 ounce) can  plum tomatoes with juice
• 3⁄4 cup chicken broth
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup  grated romano cheese, plus
• 2  tablespoons  grated romano cheese
• 2  slices  firm  white bread, torn into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large saucepot, cook pasta in boiling salted water as label directs. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Return pasta to saucepot; set reserved cooking water aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until browned, stirring occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
3. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon bacon fat from saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion and 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in beans, tomatoes with their juice, chicken broth, pepper, and cooked bacon, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. To pasta in saucepot, add the bean mixture, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, and reserved pasta cooking water; toss well. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart casserole.
5. In a small bowl, toss bread crumbs with parsley, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, remaining minced garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Romano cheese until evenly coated. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the pasta. Bake pasta 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until hot and bubbly and top is golden.