This was the winner of last week's poll for what I should make today. As I do with many things I cook, I research the dish and look at the many different ways it's prepared, then I come up with something of my own to suit my tastes. Hopefully you'll enjoy my take on this classic dish.
Pasta e Fagioli
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ pound 96% lean ground beef
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small yellow onion chopped
2 carrots peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon dried Italian spice blend
1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
¼ pound green beans in 1 inch segments
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup ditalini or orrechetti pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
In a soup pot on medium high, brown ground beef for 6-8 minutes. Drain if necessary. Add garlic, onion, carrots, spices, salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium and let vegetables sweat. After 5 minutes, add kidney beans, tomatoes, green beans and chicken stock. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes to a few hours. Add pasta, cover, and let simmer another 15 minutes. If soup looks thick, add chicken stock until desired consistency is reached.
Beer Bread
I have experimented with basic beer bread recipes for so long, and this is my final recipe that I think works best. The beer you choose will make all of the difference. If you are going to flavor your bread (cheddar and herb is good) you'll want a Budweiser or Miller, however if you want the beer to flavor the bread, a good honey wheat beer or dark beer is great. I like to use either Sunset Wheat or Creamy Dark Leinenkugels.
1 12 oz. beer
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and stir for no more than 1 minute, until ingredients are combined. Pour into a greased loaf pan, bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.
If desired, brush with melted butter during the last 10 minutes of baking.
