Pasta e Fagioli

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces cooked bacon, cut in pieces
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini or other white beans
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (with juices)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup ditalini pasta

Serve with

• Parmesan cheese
• Reserved bacon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice 4 ounces of uncooked bacon into small pieces and add into a Dutch oven / large pot with a little olive oil over medium heat. Fry until crispy.
2. Remove half of the cooked bacon and set aside leaving behind the other half of the cooked bacon and all the fat.
3. Add 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, 3 diced celery stalks, 4 cloves of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of oregano, pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the pot. Sauté until soft.
4. Add a 15 ounce can of cannellini/white beans (drained), a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (with juices), 1½ cups of water, and 2 cups of vegetable broth to pot. Bring to a boil and continue to let boil for about 5 minutes.
5. Add 1 cup of dry ditalini pasta to the soup and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the pasta is cooked (I have also used macaroni if I didn’t have ditalini).
6. Serve topped with reserved bacon and parmesan cheese.