A Long-Time Favorite

Although this dish is not in it's traditional soup form, this is my parent's recipe. It has been one of my favorites since I was a kid (my brother and I used to shout, "YES!!" when my mom told us she was making pasta fagioli for dinner) and it has become one of Kyle's favorites (in his Top 3!). Its a great way to use leftover spaghetti sauce and bacon, and can be a real inexpensive meal to throw together if you have a few of the ingredients on hand already. We usually make the recipe with a pound of pasta so that there is always leftovers :) but you can easily half the recipe.

Pasta e Fagioli

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 strips bacon (uncooked and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups jarred or homemade spaghetti sauce
• 1 (15oz) can cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 tablespoons grated pecorino-romano cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper (pinches to taste)
• 1 lb ditalini pasta or other small tubular pasta (i.e., elbows)

In a deep stockpot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat then saute onions for 3 minutes. Add bacon and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring to keep the bacon from burning. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low, add sauce, beans, 2 tbsp pecorino-romano cheese, garlic powder, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine well and cook for 15 min. While sauce mixture is cooking, cook pasta until tender and drain well. Add pasta to sauce mixture and combine well. Turn heat to low and allow pasta and sauce flavors to "mingle" for 5 minutes. Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread, if desired.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8