Rocker’s Pasta Fagioli With Sausage
ROCKIN’ PASTA FAGIOLI WITH SAUSAGE
When I’m on the air, I talk a lot with my hands, it helps with verbal punctuation. When there are guests in the studio during my talk breaks, they invariably ask me if I’m Italian. I always reply by telling them, ” I’m Italian by osmosis.”
I grew up in an area with a large Italian-American population. The Carucci’s across the street, Ricciardi’s on the corner, Ingoglia’s, Petraglia’s, Motta’s, and the Tomaselli’s around the corner.
I was happily surrounded by a culture of food loving neighbors with ties to a rich history of authentic Italian-American cuisine. When it comes to any Italian recipe, I always think back to my delicious childhood memories.
In a few days, I am going home to see my family and my best friend, Briana, and her family, where we will enjoy Christmas Eve dinner, featuring the “7 Fishes Sauce.”
For those who don’t eat the 7 fishes sauce, there will be either a pork roast or a spiral ham. Buon Appetito!
Pasta Fagioli with Sausage
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb of ground Italian sausage
1 medium onion diced
2 stalks of celery diced
2 carrots diced
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups of chicken stock or broth
4 tablespoons of torn basil
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 parmesan rind
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cans of cannelini beans
1 can of Northern beans
1 can of red kidney beans
1 cup of ditalini pasta
Grated parmesan to sprinkle on the finished product
Preparation:
In a Dutch oven or medium soup pot, saute the onion, celery, and carrots in the olive oil until the vegetables starts to turn brown.
Add the ground sausage and cook until you no longer see pink.
Add the garlic and saute for about a minute or 2 or until fragrant.
Add the wine and bring to a boil.
Add the chicken broth, basil, tomatoes, parmesan rind, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until combined.
Cover and simmer for one hour.
Add Ditalini pasta, all the beans and let cook for another 10 minutes.
Grate a generous amount of fresh Parmesan.
