Pasta Fagioli Soup

Sometimes called pasta fazoul or pasta i fagioli, this pasta fagioli soup is the one I make when I really crave comfort food. This version of pasta fagioli soup contains meat, specifically ham.

You can make a meatless variety by simply leaving out the ham hock and replacing the beef broth with vegetable broth, but you’ll need to find some way to liven up the flavor. I suggest either adding liquid smoke or perhaps some smoky-flavored tempeh or seitan. You’ll need to experiment to get it just how you like it.

For you carnivores, you can’t go wrong with a small ham shank, or if you really like it with that strong ham flavor, you can add an entire ham hock. Just make sure you get it cracked at least once or maybe twice, if it’s large, to let the marrow flavor the soup stock.

1 clove garlic
1 large onion
1 medium carrot
1 stalk celery
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 qt. beef broth
1 qt. water
1 bay leaf
1 small ham shank or more if you like
2 15-ounce cans of Great Northern beans (or other white bean)
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage
Salt to taste
Pasta, either small elbow macaroni (#300) or small shells.
Parmesan cheese.

1. Chop the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery and saute in the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, until onion is translucent.
2. Pour beef broth and an equal amount of water into soup pot.
3. Add bay leaf and vegetables.
4. Add ham shank.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium and simmer covered for 2-3 hours.
6. Rinse beans and add to soup.
7. Add diced tomatoes to the soup, juice and all.
8. Add pepper, sage, and salt. Adjust seasonings to taste.
9. Simmer soup for 1 hour or until meat falls from ham shank bone.
10. Remove bone.
11. Add 1 cup of pasta to soup and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
12. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese in bowls. Serve with warm bread.