Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta with Beans) Long a source of daily nourishment for millions of poor people, this dish makes a satisfying vegetarian supper. Serves 4. Ingredients ½ pound cannellini (Great Northern Beans) ½ pound rigatoni, ziti, or other short pasta ½ cup olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 dried red pepper 1 stalk celery, chopped 1¾ cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional) Salt and black pepper Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. Drain and cook the beans in a large pot of simmering water for 1½ hours or until they are tender. Cook the pasta until it is half done. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the garlic with the pepper and celery. Add the beans, tomatoes, oregano and salt and pepper to taste and cook the mixture over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the partly cooked pasta and continue cooking over low heat until it is al dente. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes before serving. Grasso, J.C. (1994). The best of southern Italian cooking (p. 62). Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.
