Hearty Pasta e Fagioli Stew

Pasta E Fagioli (or “pasta and beans” in Italian) features an aromatic broth with tomatoes, carrots, garlic, Italian spices, and marsala wine. It is delicious any time of the year, and can be served as a soup or ladled as a stew over pasta. Sauvignon blanc is an excellent pairing for this dish. Buon appetito!

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery sticks, peeled and chopped
10 ounces diced or crushed roasted tomatoes with garlic and basil
1/2 cup marsala wine
1 tsp each of dried oregano and basil, plus a bay leaf
Crushed hot pepper, to taste
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 quarts water for the pasta
Juice of 1/2 lemon for the water
1 cup elbow macaroni, ditalini, or any small type of pasta

Instructions:

In a 3-quart pot, boil water, one tablespoon of olive oil, and juice of 1/2 lemon. Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a 6-quart pot, melt butter and olive oil on medium-high heat for one minute, then add the chopped onion, cooking for an additional 5 minutes until shimmering.
Add the garlic, carrots, and celery to the same pot, sauteeing for 3 minutes. Add marsala wine to deglaze for a minute or two.
Add tomatoes, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and hot pepper flakes. With a lid, cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Add chickpeas, stir, and continue to simmer on low heat.
Once the pasta is cooked, strain it and divide into soup bowls. Ladle the desired amount of pasta e fagioli over the pasta. Garnish with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.