BocelliOnline

[christine]

My favorite... Pasta e Fagioli
Reply #3 Posted at Mon Nov 11 00:16:27 2002
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One of my favorites...

Pasta e Fagioli
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2-6 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, light red preferable, rinsed in cold water
1 15-ounce can great northern beans, rinsed in cold water
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 pound (1/4 pkg.) ditalini pasta

Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.

About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain and rinse pasta. (Rinsing keeps soup from getting too starchy.)

Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.

If soup is too thick, just add extra water or V-8 until you get the consistency you like. I usually add about 2 cups.

- Serve with salad and crusty bread. I also usually make tiramisu for dessert. (AB provides the entertainment, naturally.)

I got the recipes off the Web. My family loves it. Hope you do too.
- Karen