It is cold and damp in Western PA this weekend and so many are suffering from the flu. It is just the right time for a nice big pot of soup!!! One of my family's favorites is Pasta Fagioli-- made the quick and easy way!!. Remember those days of beans soaking for hours before this soup could be made??? Who has time for THAT???? Not so with this recipe. In my family, it is "fast food"!! It has a chicken soup base-- so it is great for all of those upper respiratory infections that are going around!!
Use as many natural ingredients as you can, like tomatoes, garlic, onions, celery from the garden, and even homemade chicken soup that I always have on hand in the freezer. All of my grandmothers would approve!!!!!
Pasta Fagioli
Olive oil
1-2 ribs of celery, diced
Several cloves of garlic or garlic powder
2 small cans Great Northern Beans or Navy beans
2 small cans chicken broth
1 small can of stewed or diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 bay leaf
2 tbl. Romano or Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Saute onion, celery, and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil til they are clear. Add rest of the ingredients and cook slowly for 15 minutes or so. While soup is cooking, prepare some small noodles, like ditalini or small shells or orzo to add to the soup before serving. If you leave the noodles in the soup, they will absorb all of the broth, so I always add them at the very last minute before serving. When serving, garnish with a bit of Romano or Parmesan cheese. This soup is guaranteed to make you feel warm inside!!
