Traditional Pasta e Fagioli is made with a pork product such as pancetta, ham or pigs’ feet(old-time Italian) but growing up my mother always made meatless Pasta e Fagioli on Fridays. I have fond memories of eating Pasta Fagioli on crisp fall nights before rushing off to a Friday night football game or for lunch on a snowy winter day.

My mother’s version of Pasta e Fagioli, I like to call Pasta e Fagioli meets Boston Baked Beans, She used canned baked beans as the base. I have no idea why one time she decided to substitute baked beans, no problem we loved her recipe.  Over the years I have added my own touches to my mother’s Pasta e Fagioli to make it an easy totally vegetarian meal.

 

Pasta e Fagioli

1 cup chopped shallots

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup dry white wine

2 (16 oz) cans vegetarian baked beans,  Bushes

1 can (8 oz) no salt Tomato Sauce, Hunts

1 can (15.5 oz) Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained, Goya

1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 cup dried ditalini pasta

1/4 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Parmesan Cheese, optional

1. In large pot cook shallots, garlic and olive over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Sir in wine, baked beans, garbanzo beans, vegetable broth, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil: reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes.

3. Cook, pasta al dente(firm but not hard), drain. Stir cooked pasta, basil, oregano into bean mixture. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Pasta e Fagioli should be thick like stew not soupy. Add more broth if thick and cook a little longer if too thin.

Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Make 4-6 servings.

Enjoy!