New Years Good Luck Pasta Fazool Food

NEW YEAR'S "GOOD LUCK" PASTA FAZOOL

Steps:

• Place a cold soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered out and the bacon begins to crisp up, about 5 minutes. Drain off most of the excess fat with a paper towel if desired, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add onions, celery, and salt. Saute until and softened onions turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir in black pepper, cayenne, dried thyme, dried oregano, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste starts to caramelize onto the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and water and raise the heat to high. Bring to a simmer over high heat; reduce heat to medium and let simmer while you prep the Swiss chard.
• Remove chard leaves from tough stems. Gather a handful of leaves and slice across in one direction; turn and slice across again. Repeat with remaining chard. Place into a bowl and fill with water. Swish around to remove dirt; transfer washed greens a handful at a time to another bowl to drain.
• Stir the Swiss chard into the pot and simmer over medium heat until greens become tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
• Stir in the drained beans and raise the heat to high; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Once the pasta is tender, check the seasoning. Serve immediately in large bowls. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and red pepper flakes.

PASTA "FAZOOL"

Steps:

• Cook the pancetta in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat in the pot.
• Add the onion, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and a couple pinches of salt to the pot and saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
• Deglaze the pot with the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Add the chicken stock, beans, tomatoes and 1 cup water to the pot. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Puree the soup with an immersion blender, about 30 seconds, keeping at least half of the beans intact (or puree in a regular blender, then return to the pot). Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. Stir in the pancetta and half each of the parmesan and basil. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and garnish with the remaining parmesan and basil.
• Serve with Soppressata Sandwiches.
• Split open and quarter 1 baguette. Layer thick slices of sharp provolone and thinly sliced soppressata on the bread. Add some baby arugula and drizzle with sweet Italian vinaigrette.

PASTA FAZOOL

Steps:

• Add the EVO, onion, garlic, carrot and celery to a 1-2 gal. cooking pot.
• Cook on medium low heat until they are soft and the onions transparent (Appr. 15-20 mins).
• While the vegetables are cooking, mix the beef, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, 2 TBS. parsley flakes, 1/2 tbs. basil, bread crumbs, 2 Tbs. parseman cheese, S & P. Shape into tiny meatballs (Appr. 1/2 " in diameter) are fry until done. You may need to cook several batches, depending on the size of your skillet.
• After the vegetables have cooked, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and the rest of the parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, bay leaf, sugar, & baking soda. Stir occasionally until foam disappears from the baking soda.
• Cook until well mixed and add the meatballs.
• Simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours and then add the beans. Simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes. Add water to the soup if it seems to get too thick.
• While the soup is simmering, Cook the ditalini noodles until they are a-denti. DO NOT OVERCOOK!
• Add the pasta to the soup just before serving. Do not add the pasta to the soup too soon! The longer the soup cooks with the noodles, the larger the noodles get.
• Serve with a crusty bread, green salad, and extra Parmesan cheese.
• Measurements are not brain surgery. Be close, and you cannot make a mistake. ENJOY!