Pasta and Beans (Pašta fažol)
Pašta fažol is a hearty stew made with beans and pasta from the Primorska region in Slovenia. It is a cousin to the Italian Pasta e fasoi from across the border in Veneto, Italy.
This type of a minestrone dates back all the way to the time of the Roman Empire. Originally it was prepared with fava beans. The version of the dish as we know it today commonly uses American beans, for example, Barlotto or Cannellini beans, which were introduced in Europe in the 16th century and were initially only served on the tables of the rich, while the poor had to settle for the black eye peas.
Pasta e Fasoi is one of the signature dishes eaten on 17th January, the day when the slaughter of the pigs takes place in Veneto on the feast day of Sant' Antonio Abate, the patron saint of farmers, domestic animals and the protector of the glowing embers of the hearth that keep a house warm and hot food on the table. Historically, the good cuts of meat were reserved for the wealthy, and the less desirable ones were for the poor, many of which ended up in pasta e fasoi.
Pasta e fasoi was also immortalized in the Dean Martin song ‘That’s Amore’ with the lyrics ‘When the stars makes you drool, just-a like pasta fazool, that’s amore.’
PASTA FAGIOLI VENETIAN-STYLE RECIPE & HISTORY- ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Recipe
Ingredients:
250 g dried barlotto beans (soaked overnight)
300 g potatoes
30 g garlic, minced
100 g pancetta, finely chopped
a few parsley sprigs, minced
2 bay leaves
200 g pasta
salt, pepper to taste
Instructions:
Soak the dried beans in cold water overnight. Once ready to make pašta fažol, drain the beans and rinse them.
Add to a pot and add enough water to cover them by several centimeters. Add minced garlic, pancetta, minced parsley, two bay leaves, potatoes, and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add warm water as needed.
Once the beans soften, mash the potatoes and most of the beans with a hand-held immersion blender or a food mill. Leave some for texture.
Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente (follow the instructions on the packaging). Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with fresh bread.
