I’m currently sitting in my hotel room in Zurich, Switzerland. It’s Sunday morning, 8 a.m. and my stomach is grumbling. The boyfriend is still sleeping but I’d rather go downstairs to the breakfast room and order a cup of fresh coffee and fill up my plate with a croissant and lots of fruits. We had a big vegan burger late last night, so I shouldn’t be hungry at all. But I guess the fresh Swiss air and lots of walking have a share in that. So now I’m patiently waiting because who needs a tired and grumpy boyfriend and let him sleep.
In the meantime, I finally wrote down the recipe for this pasta and bean stew. Also known as Pasta e Fagioli but if you’re not an Italian or an expert in or lover of Italian cuisine, who’d knew what fagioli means. So even though the title pasta bean stew doesn’t do any justice and rather reminds me of the British sweet baked peans with some macaroni, at least everyone understands it. When I decided to do this Italian pasta fagioli classic with pasta and beans I didn’t know that there are so many variations of it. This pasta e fagioli recipe is one version and I really loved it. You can add grated Pecorino Romano if you are Vegetarian or chicken sausage if you or your partner is a Carnivore. This pasta fagioli recipe tastes also amazing the next day.
Italian Pasta and Bean Stew (Pasta e Fagioli)
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1-2 garlic gloves, thinly sliced (add 2 gloves if you love garlic)
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 spring rosemary, minced
- 3 cup cannellini beans (can)
- 100 g / 1 1/4 cup pasta
- 400 g / 2 small cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 handful kale, thinly sliced or torn into small pieces
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- For Vegetarians: grated Pecorino Romano
- For Carnivores: 1 – 2 chicken sausages
- In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, add carrot, celery and onion and cook for 10 min.
- Add tomato paste, rosemary and garlic and cook for about 2 min or until the mixture smells fragrant.
- Now add the tomatoes, crushing with your hand or a fork, cook for 10 min or until liquid is completely reduced, stir often.
- Add vegetable stock and let it simmer for 10-20 min (this step is necessary for the flavour).
- First add the beans and let them cook for 2-3 min and then add the pasta and cook another 10 min.
- For Carnivores: In the meantime, brown chicken sausages in a large pan.
- A few minutes before serving, add the kale and cook for 1 min.
- Season with salt and pepper, serve stew in two bowls, drizzled with remaining olive oil and top with fresh parsley.
- For Carnivores: Add chicken sausage
- For Vegetarians: Garnish with grated cheese
