Pasta e Fagioli (Noodle and Bean Soup)

Italy

HISTORY AND FOOD:

From the early Middle Ages (beginning around A.D. 500) to the late 1800s, Italy consisted of separate republics, each with different culinary (cooking) customs. These varying cooking practices, which were passed down from generation to generation, contributed to the diversity of Italian cuisine. Italy's neighboring countries, including France, Austria, and Yugoslavia, also contributed to differences in the country's cuisine.

 Various culinary practices throughout the country's regions began to be combined after people started migrating from the countryside to the cities. Many southern Italians traveled to the north at this time, introducing pizza to northern Italians. Those from the north introduced risotto (a rice dish) and polenta (a simple, cornmeal dish) to the south. Fast foods, mostly introduced from the United States, have brought more culinary diversity to Italy. However, pride in the culture of one's region, or companilismo, extends to the food of the locality, and regional cooking styles are celebrated throughout the country.

Pasta e Fagioli (Noodle and Bean Soup)

Ingredients:

5 cups water
1½ cups dried white beans: navy, baby lima, or northern
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cups canned Italian-style tomatoes, with juice
1 cup each of celery and carrots, finely chopped and sliced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped, or 1 teaspoon garlic granules
½ pound cooked smoked ham, chopped
3 bay leaves
½ cup macaroni (shells, bows, or elbows), uncooked
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish

Procedure:

Place water and beans in saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat for 3 minutes and remove from heat.
Cover and set aside for 1 hour.
Add the onion, tomatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, smoked ham, and bay leaves.
Mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until beans are tender (about 1½ hours). Stir frequently.
Add macaroni and mix well. Cover and continue simmering until macaroni is tender (about 12 minutes).
Remove and throw out bay leaves before serving.
Serve hot soup in individual bowls with a side dish of Parmesan cheese for the guests to sprinkle into their soup. Serve with crusty bread to dip in the soup.
Serves about 6.

 

................Thank you...................