When we were asked to do a cooking demo for Vanlife Summit 2024 we were over the moon! However, I have to confess, I was just as excited to know we have pasta fagioli for dinner!
We made pasta fagioli whilst chatting about cooking in our van and showing off our favourite cooking gadgets. Whilst finishing up sitting down at the table having pasta fagioli and a glass of pinot grigio. Heaven!
This is one of those southern Italian dinners families go crazy for! Its simple, nutritious and delicious.
It is a perfect vanlife recipe as it uses little resources and cooks in one pan and certainly puts a smile on your face…or is that just the beans whispering. 🤔
This recipe is for 4 but you can halve it if its just the two of you but trust me, its worth saving an extra couple of portions for lunch the next day. Hot or cold it just seems to taste even better the following day.
This is also easily adaptable for vegan diets just replace the cheese.
Pasta Fagioli
Equipment
Ingredients
- 400 g Borlotti Beans 1 Tin (including water)
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 cups Conchiglie Pasta Shells
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Celery Stick Small
- 1 cup Fresh Spinach
- 1 Stock Cube Chicken or vegetable
- 2 cups Water
- 1 tsp Salt Quality Salt!
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1 Bunch of thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Instructions
- Using your Zyliss chopper, finely chop the onion, carrot and celery stick.
- Heat a good glug of olive oil in a deep pan over a medium heat and add the chopped veg. (soffritto). You want it to sizzle!
- After 5 minutes the veg should have softened and smell amazing. At this point add the tin of Borlotti beans including the water.
- Add 1 tbsp of tomato paste and drop in a whole garlic clove. Thats right not chopped! You will fish it out at the end.
- In the tin for the beans add the stock cube and fill with hot water. Give it a mix and add to the pan.
- Add 2 cups of Conchiglie Pasta Shells.
- Add plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. You can also chop and add the rind!
- Throw in a cup of fresh spinach.
- Season lightly with a pinch of salt, and add a big bunch of fresh Thyme leaves. Its ok to use dried if thats what you have.
- Place the lid on the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it and you will need to add some more water about hald way through.
- Remove the garlic clove and serve with a good grating of cheese and a glass of Pinot Grigio.
- Buon Appetito
