CUCINA CARA MIA.......Random thoughts from "my dear kitchen" about food, travel, Italy, San Diego and life!

Saturday, October 4, 2008

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS


When I was growing up a nice Italian girl in New York, Friday night was reserved for non meat dinners. Everyone knows Catholics didn't eat meat on Fridays, so we ate vegetarian. My mother's revolving repetiore consisted of peppers and eggs, lentil soup, tuna and tomato salad, and my least favorite, pasta e fagiole.

I hated eating it. Here I am, some 40 years later, and I made pasta e fagiole for dinner last night. The weather is turning a little brisk here in San Diego. I still have some basil and oregano growing in my garden. What to cook!! Off to Google to do a little recipe searching. There were quite a few recipes with white beans, tomatoes and herbs. I just had to try that old family favorite.

With a couple of slices of foccocia and a glass of Chianti Classico, it tasted much better than I remember.!

By the way, the new header photo is a view of the bay of Sorrento shot through the window of our hotel, La Badia, which was originally a convent. I bet those nuns are still eating pasta e fagioli.
Enjoy!


pasta e fagioli
Bon Appétit July 1990
Servings: Serves 2 to 4.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil,
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 16-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
Salt and pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni, freshly cooked
Grated Parmesan


Preparation


Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add parsley, basil and oregano and simmer until tomatoes soften, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon, about 15 minutes. Add beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place pasta in bowl. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pour sauce over and toss thoroughly. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love you new photo and the soup looks delicious! I too remember those bleak Friday night suppers!

Twyla and Lindsey said...

This soup looks delicious. Sometimes our taste buds have to mature in order to like something. Your new header photo is beautiful. Twyla

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Oh Yum! And hearty!! What other great italian meals do you put together? Says the irish/scottish girl.....

Love your header pick!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

We love pasta e fagiole! This is a good recipe --- thanks!

We flew into Key West from Miami --it was a wonderful "get away" and I'd love to go back again someday.
Thanks for your nice anniversary wishes!

Hugs, Pat

Anonymous said...

Linda-take a look back at your comment on my blog for info on the biscotti! Panini Girl

Rosa said...

Hi, I stumbled across your blog, and thought I recognized the photo area!
Pasta and fagioli tastes even nicer the day after. In fact I sometimes cook the soup the day before ,then add the pasta for the meal (if we can resist eating it straight away).

vosgesparis said...

eeuuuw I can't stand those beans... I had an italian mother in law for over 30 years and she always made the minestrone with those beans in them... The children loved to peal those dry purple beans though ;)) Yet another soup she made is still my kids favorite one today .. just pasta potatoes tomatoes and some oregano or basilico ... and at the end a piece of white creamy cheese.. melted in the soup... we use the greek or turkey feta cheese for that mmmm buonissimo

~j~ said...

oh my this looks so great! thanks for the idea. I love soups in the winter time, might have to try this for my wed night dinner girls.
j