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Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 35 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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This is the kind of comfort food that's hard to pass up! Pasta e Fagioli, that beloved Italian soup, is turned into a casserole, topped with bread crumbs and Romano cheese, and baked until golden on top. Delicioso!! Ingredients:
8 ounces ditalini (1 3/4 cups) |
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces |
1 medium onion, diced |
2 teaspoons olive oil |
1 tablespoon olive oil |
3 garlic cloves, minced |
2 (15 1/2 ounce) cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained (cannellini) |
1 (16 ounce) can plum tomatoes with juice |
3/4 cup chicken broth |
1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper |
1/4 cup grated romano cheese, plus |
2 tablespoons grated romano cheese |
2 slices firm white bread, torn into 1/4-inch pieces |
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large saucepot, cook pasta in boiling salted water as label directs. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Return pasta to saucepot; set reserved cooking water aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until browned, stirring occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
3. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon bacon fat from saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion and 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in beans, tomatoes with their juice, chicken broth, pepper, and cooked bacon, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. To pasta in saucepot, add the bean mixture, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, and reserved pasta cooking water; toss well. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart casserole.
5. In a small bowl, toss bread crumbs with parsley, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, remaining minced garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Romano cheese until evenly coated. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the pasta. Bake pasta 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until hot and bubbly and top is golden.
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