Pasta e Fagioli is one of my all time comfort foods. When I worked in downtown New York City many years ago, we would order food from this little hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant and their pasta e fagioli was out of this world. So when I had the opportunity to meet home cook and food writer Eleonora “Lola” Baldwin from Rome, Italy online, I just had to ask her for her version of this wonderful comfort food.

I just interviewed Lola and if you have any interest in Italian cuisine, their culture and lifestyle, I encourage you to read the interview in its entirety.  She is a wonderful writer and has generations of handed down knowledge of Italian cooking. Her own food blog, Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino is filled with stories and recipes dating back to her childhood growing up in Italy to present day. It’s a brilliant read.

Lola was kind enough to send me her recipe for Pasta e Fagioli along with some facts about the dish that I think you will find fascinating. I’m hoping Lola will spend more time on The Reluctant Gourmet web site sharing more stories and recipes from life living in Italy.

Note: After Lola sent me her recipe, I had some questions that she answered and you can read them at the end of the recipe.

Lola’s Pasta e Fagioli

Remember Dean Martin swooning his “pasta fazool?” This soup is what he meant when he swore it was Amore. Pasta e fagioli - meaning “pasta and beans,” is the traditional meatless bean soup that is now a popular worldwide gourmet item. Like many other Italian favorite recipes, pasta e fagioli was a peasant food dish, due to cheaply available, stomach-filling beans and pasta.

Pasta e fagioli is made using borlotti beans (fat, pulpy medium-sized beans, light beige in color, speckled with dark brown flecks, the nearest equivalent is cranberry or pinto beans) and different types of small thimble-shaped pasta such as tubetti, ditalini or cannolicchi.

The consistency of the dish can vary, some renditions fall clearly in the thick soup category, usually because part of the beans is mashed during preparation to obtain a more creamy texture.

This rather thick life-saver soup is just what you want to engulf when the Fall rain’s mercilessly striking the window panes; and exactly what you need to cook in order to feel safe and warm, happy and engaged inside.

Casca a fagiolo, is the Italian saying that literally describes how something happens just at the right moment. This soup for example.

• 2 1/2 cups (500 gr ) dried cranberry beans, or about 3 cups fresh
• 1 garlic clove, whole
• 1 tablespoon rosemary needles, minced (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 oz (60 gr) pancetta or prosciutto
• 1 - 1/4 cups (250 gr) good quality dried tubetti pasta
• Salt & pepper to taste

If you’re using dried beans, sort them to remove stones or damaged beans and loose skins, soak them overnight and change the water at least once.

Cook the beans in 2 liters (8 cups) of water, with the pancetta, garlic, rosemary and salt to taste until done—they should be quite soft.

Remove half the beans from the pot with a slotted spoon and puree them through a food mill and toss them all back into the pot.  Simmer the soup until it takes on a creamed velvety texture, with the whole beans bubbling along.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook the pasta in the soup until it is al dente.

Adjust the seasoning, let the soup rest covered for a few minutes, then ladle the ambrosia into individual bowls, and serve drizzled with a thread of raw olive oil, paired with a nice red wine like a Chianti Classico.

…Mmmm, this made me want to make some now!

Ciao,
Lola

Questions and Answers with Lola

I asked Lola if she only cooked with dried or fresh beans or if she ever used canned beans and she said,

Sure! I’m no fundamentalist when it comes to cooking beans. I use canned beans freely (provided they be well rinsed of their gelatinous storing gunk), but the healthiest, tastiest and most common beans used in Italian cuisine—and for the best pasta e fagioli—are the dried ones.

Yes, cooking dried beans takes more time than opening a can, but you’ll be richly rewarded with superior flavor and texture. They will keep almost indefinitely, and a well-stocked Italian pantry always has a selection of two or more kinds of dried beans. For quick pasta e fagioli, you can use two 14-oz cans of beans.

What about the pasta? Is it always tubetti? Are there substitutes if tubetti isn’t available?

I’ve made it with broken noodles, fettuccine, mismatched shapes of equal-sized pasta, maltagliati, etc. The key requisite is that the pasta must be small enough to fit in a spoonful along with the beans.

Many American home cooks don’t own a food mill but do have food processors and blenders. Can they be used and if so, what are the advantages and disadvantages of using electric appliances?

Electric metal blades whirl so fast that they generate heat, which alters flavors. Plus they cut! That’s why pesto is best made with mortar and pestle. The flavor remains intact. If you really must make pesto with a food processor, remember: short bursts!

I have one too of course, and I use it a lot. But to puree, separating skins from pulp and ricing without rearranging molecular structure… you need a hand powered food mill. It’s an inescapable must in an Italian kitchen!

We all have heard the term al dente and most of us know what it means but I asked Lola to give us her definition of “al dente” and she responded –

This is a matter of immense importance, thank you! Please remove all images of spaghetti flung on kitchen walls to check doneness from your mind. Please.

Pasta should, I correct myself, MUST be cooked al dente. That translates ‘to the tooth’, meaning it should oppose some kind of debate to our chewing apparatus. Pasta should be firm but not snap in the middle, more importantly it should not be overcooked in mush-like fashion. Soft-boiled pasta is not tolerated in Italy.

Keep in mind that ancient glue and modern children’s playdough are…as pasta….a mixture water and flour. The word ‘paste’ should ring a bell. We do not want to associate the primadonna of Italian food to any of its inedible adhesive cousins. Overcooking pasta and humiliating it to a mere wallpaper fixative is a sin.

The package will probably say how long the pasta should cook for, but don’t trust it. A couple of minutes before it is supposed to be done, fish out a piece and bite it open; in the center you will see a whitish area of uncooked pasta that is poetically known as the anima, or soul of the pasta. Continue cooking the pasta until the anima barely fades.

Some pasta al dente fundamentalists modify that calculation taking into account altering factors such as water hardness, altitude and lunar cycle. Hard durum wheat vs fresh homemade pasta will need longer cooking times. That can range from 5 to 12 minutes according to shape, section thickness and size. The longest pasta shape to cook is farfalle (bow tie shape); the shortest are spaghetti and all its thinner forms like capelli d’angelo (angel hair).

Don’t break long pasta to fit the pot: it’s un-Italian. The enjoyment of “long goods” is in the twirling. Use a fork to bend and lower it as it cooks until it fits the pot. Boil the pasta in plenty of lightly salted water. And remember to stir occasionally.

Buon appetito!

Lola

Related Topics

Interview with Lola

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Clam Chowder Recipes

Many people who come to my site are looking for “the definitive recipe” for…whatever it might be: brownies, yellow cake, beef stew, etc. The truth is that there are very few definitive recipes. Recipes are rarely set in stone, and chefs and home cooks around the world vary ingredients based on availability and personal taste.

While I can’t give you a definitive recipe for clam chowder, I can talk about the different types of clam chowders and give you a basic recipe for each. Don’t hesitate to play with your ingredients and add or substitute product that you enjoy.

The broad definition of “chowder” is a seafood soup or stew, usually containing potatoes. According to that definition, any soup containing clams and potatoes is technically a clam chowder. That’s not to say that there aren’t distinct types of clam chowder out there, as well as folks willing to go to blows over which type is the best.

As far as I’m concerned, “the best” is the one that you like. I have my own preference, and it might not be the same as yours, but any soup or stew with potatoes and clams is really okay in my book.

The two types of clam chowders that most people have heard of are New England and Manhattan. New England clam chowder is traditionally cream based and “white.”

Manhattan clam chowder contains chunks of tomato and is “red.” Although the origins of both types are a bit murky, it is generally agreed that the New England style has been around longer than the Manhattan style. Regardless, as typical of chowders, both types contain seafood (clams, in this case) and potatoes. Both are fairly simply seasoned, and both are quite tasty.

New England Clam Chowder

• 3 slices bacon
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (parsley, thyme and oregano are nice)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup clam juice, fish stock or low sodium chicken stock
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups peeled and diced potato
• Several drops of hot sauce, to taste
• 2 cups chopped clams
• Fresh minced parsley, for garnish

Cook bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crisp. Drain, cool and crumble. Set aside.

Over medium to medium-high heat, sauté the onions and celery with salt and white pepper, the bay leaf and the dried herbs. Cook until the vegetables are translucent and just beginning to turn golden around the edges.

Add the butter and flour. Stir for a minute or two, adjusting heat to medium.

Add the clam juice or stock or broth, the heavy cream and the diced potato. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about ten minutes.

Stir in the clams and hot sauce. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Taste and correct seasonings.

To serve, place some crumbled bacon in each bowl, top with the chowder and sprinkle on the parsley. Serve with saltines or oyster crackers.

Serves 4.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

• 3 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs
• ½ cup white wine (optional)
• 1 cup clam juice
• 2 cups fish stock or low sodium chicken broth
• 1   16 oz can whole tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups peeled and diced potato
• 2 cups chopped clams
• Fresh minced parsley, for garnish

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain and crumble. Set aside.Sauté the onion and celery in the bacon drippings with salt and black pepper, bay leaf and dried herbs. Cook until the vegetables are softened and beginning to turn golden around the edges.

Return the bacon to the pan and add the wine. Reduce until almost dry.

Add the clam juice, stock or broth and undrained tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes in the pot with the back of a wooden spoon, but leave them in fairly large pieces. Let simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about ten more minutes.

Taste and correct the seasonings.

If you would like the soup to be a little thicker, simply mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pan and stir to blend.

Ladle into bowls and top each with some fresh minced parsley.

Serves 4.

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All About Clams

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Buying a refrigerator is much like buying a car; it is a big-ticket item expected to see you and your family through several years of wear and tear, and it’s one of the most central items you’ll rely on to go about your daily business. Like buying a car, your fridge purchase will also depend primarily on your specific needs, budget, and lifestyle.

Overall, most of the things to know before buying a refrigerator have to do with size: the size of your kitchen, the size of your family, and the size of your budget.

Photo of LG Electronic’s New 4-Door French Door Refrigerator - Read my review here.

Size of Your Kitchen

Unless you’re remodeling your kitchen around a specific refrigerator you have your heart set on, chances are you need to work around your existing layout. This can be especially challenging for older homes, since the average refrigerator size twenty years ago was almost half what you can expect to find today.

There are also more choices in refrigerator style than ever before. Traditionally, fridges have offered one style: the main cooling area on the bottom and the freezer on top. However, new technologies and personal tastes mean that you can find anything from a French-door fridge with the freezer on the bottom to a four-door fridge with two separate freezers.

If you’re working with limited space, you might want to consider a compact refrigerator, a bottom freezer fridge, or a top freezer fridge. These options typically come in widths ranging from 30 inches to 40 inches, and the depth varies depending on the model and make. In most cases, these smaller fridges will be less expensive than their over sized relatives, and offer more energy-efficient models, since the cubic area inside the fridge is smaller and therefore requires less work to keep cool.

If you have more room to play with, you can try some of the more popular options in French door refrigerators and the side-by-side fridges. Another new model is the four-door option, which provides two freezer doors and the French door style on top. Because all of these models maximize fridge space by allowing for two-door entry, they also tend to take up more width and depth, oftentimes reaching up to 48 inches wide. Many of these styles also offer counter-depth refrigerators, which means you can streamline your kitchen by making your appliance flush with the counter.

Size of Your Family

The size of your family is also a good indication of what type and size of refrigerator you need. The reasons are pretty self-explanatory: the more people you have at home, the more food it takes to keep them going!

Most appliance stores selling refrigerators will discuss storage space in terms of cubic feet, which lets you know exactly how much interior room you have to work with. Today’s manufactured refrigerators typically offer between 18 and 26 cubic feet of space (in both the freezer and the refrigerator), and estimates suggest that a family of four requires around 19 to 22 cubic feet.

While these numbers can help you as you shop for your new fridge, the reality is that space is relative. Depending on the layout of the refrigerator and how you plan to use it, there are a number of considerations that come into play:

• How much width do you need? The side-by-side style doesn’t always allow for large pizzas or party platters to fit easily on the shelves. If you do a lot of entertaining, you may need to search for a traditional fridge or a French door style.
• How do you store things? If you keep your freezer well-organized, you might be able to take advantage of the bottom-drawer freezer style. However, this can make for less space overall if you don’t store things with care, and it can be a hassle to “dig out” items that are at the bottom.
• What types of things do you store? Most of the two-door style refrigerators offer door shelves large enough for several gallons of milk, two-liter bottles, and other “tall” items. This can be an invaluable way to free up space in the rest of the fridge for your other items. Adjustable shelving can also translate to more room, since you can add or remove shelves as you need them.

Size of Your Budget

Perhaps the most important consideration when selecting a refrigerator is the price. Fridges range in prices from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, and come with a variety of options. It’s best to determine in advance which features are essential for you and which ones might just be perks – especially if you’re looking to remain under a certain dollar amount.

Of the options to consider, there are:

• Ice Makers, which may or may not dispense the ice and water through an exterior water dispenser (note: this will require you to hook up your fridge to a water source).
• Changeable Doors, which allow you to choose whether your fridge opens from the left or the right. This can make a difference in kitchen layout and ease of use.
• Specialty Drawers, which allow you to control the humidity of the compartments. For deli meats, cheese, vegetables, and fruits, this can extend the life and quality of your food.
• Energy Efficient Models, which are most often designated by the Energy Star or Energy Saver label. These models not only save you money in electric bills, but many electric companies offer rebates on the purchase of these models and/or will come take away your old refrigerator for free.
• High Moisture Switches, which allow you to prevent condensation in your fridge if you live in an area that is humid during certain months of the year. (Turning off the switch can save money during drier months.)
• Defrost Functions or Automatic Defrost Features, which mean you won’t have to manually defrost your freezer the recommend two times annually.
• Warranties, which may or may not be optional. Most new refrigerators come with a standard manufacturer’s one-year warranty for protection against factory defects. However, if you’re paying more than $1,000 for a fridge, you might want to consider additional coverage for up to five or ten years. In most cases, even having a repair professional come to your home to look at the problem can cost several hundred dollars.

When it comes to cost, the most important thing is matching your needs to your budget. You don’t have to spend $2,000 to get a top-quality fridge, but the appliance may end up lasting you 10 or even 20 years, which makes it well worth the investment.

Energy Efficiency

You’ll also want to consider the energy costs over the lifetime of your refrigerator. Fridges older than 1986 or newer models without the Energy Star label can cost over three times as much to run annually. In most cases, the switch to an Energy Star fridge can save between $80 to $100 every year. While this may not seem like much at first, it can actually pay for the entire cost of the fridge over time – which just might make that LG Electronic’s refrigeration system worth every penny.

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Review of LG Electronic’s New 4-Door French Door Refrigerator