Pasta Fagioli

This recipe comes out of the Sopranos Family Cookbook. I love this soup so I am adding it to my Sopranos cookbook. You pronounce this dish like Pasta Fazool.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  cup  dried cannellini beans (you can use 3 cups canned, be sure to drain and rinse them first) or 1  cup great northern bean (you can use 3 cups canned, be sure to drain and rinse them first)
• 1  celery rib, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1  cup fresh tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped (you can use canned peeled tomatoes)
• 1  teaspoon tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1  pinch crushed red pepper flakes (a large pinch if you like it spicy, like me)
•  salt
• 8  ounces  ditalini or 8  ounces spaghetti or 8  ounces other pastas, broken into 1 inch pieces

Directions

1. Cook the celery and garlic in the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Discard the garlic after it turns a golden color. Add your tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed red pepper and salt (to taste). Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
2. Add the beans to the tomato sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer while mashing some of the beans with the back of a large spoon.
3. Stir in the pasta and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. The mixture should be very thick, but add a little boiling water if it seems to thick. Turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes prior to serving.