Pasta e Fagioli

    In St. Maartin there is a great restaurant that serves the most amazing pasta fargioli.  I think we went there three times in a week and all six of the people we were with ordered this delicious dish.  In case you are not familiar with this, is it a tomato based soup with a rich broth, white cannellini beans, and small pasta.  When I had it in the restaurant I thought it was just a basic tomato broth, but it has a very rich flavor.  Upon making it I realized that there are tons of vegetables tat you chop small, and they cook into the broth. Try and use fresh vegetables where you can, or even produce from your own garden! This is why it has such a good flavor!  
   Anyways,  at work the other day my husband emailed me the recipe and asked if I could make it for dinner.  I love that! That means I don't have to come up with a brilliant idea for dinner, I just have to cook it, which I never mind! It is a Rachel Ray recipe from her website.  There are only two changes I could suggest.  One is to add a little but of chard from the garden, and the second is to use the whole can of beans without draining the juice.  We felt like it could have a bit more bean flavor.  Other than that it was rich and delicious and I will definitely make it again! 

---

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 pound (about 3 slices) pancetta, chopped
• 2 (4 to 6-inch) sprigs rosemary, left intact
• 1 (4 to 6-inch) sprig thyme with several sprigs on it, left intact
• 1 large fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
• 1 cup canned tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups ditalini
• Grated Parmigiano or Romano, for the table
• Crusty bread, for mopping

---

Directions:
Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits lightly, and add herb stems, bay leaf, chopped vegetables, and garlic. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and stock to pot and raise heat to high. 

---

Bring soup to a rapid boil and add pasta. Reduce heat to medium and cook soup, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. Rosemary and thyme leaves will separate from stems as soup cooks. Remove herb stems and bay leaf from soup and place pot on table on a trivet. Let soup rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of grated cheese. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.
   My husband was more into the chunky food than the broth.  So here is his bowl for reference.  You have a cold rainy few days coming up.  This is the perfect way to break the chill!

SERVES 6; Calories: 365; Total Fat 10 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 18 grams; Total carbohydrates: 50 grams; Sugar: 8 grams Fiber 9 grams; Cholesterol: 13 milligrams; Sodium: 1,101 milligrams

---