I prepare a quick Pasta and Beans Soup that takes just 30 minutes to make, instead of 3 hours when using the traditional recipe. Learn about San Marzano Tomtoes: www.cento.com/
When I lived in the Naples area, I had the most fantastic Pasta e Fagioli… No where in the US could I find it like theirs. Then one day I saw this video and it looked so much like theirs so I made it and oh my goodness, it was phenomenal! Just like Naples! Now I make it as often as I want but never order in a restaurant…they just cannot compare! Thank you for sharing this with us so that even stateside we can enjoy true Italian food!
My children are grown now and are on their own. I have grandchildren. But, when they were young, my one indulgence every Saturday morning was watching the PBS cooking shows, all of them. I started with my cup of coffee in a beautiful cup and sat on my bed to watch the cooking shows. My children remember that and sometimes enjoyed jumping in bed with me to watch. Lidia was on in the afternoon. If it was a quiet Saturday, I watched, sometimes I did so while cooking for the evening meal. After all the excitement of the shows, I figured what meals I’d make for the week. I cooked all of Sunday and enjoyed my food and the joy of making the recipes. Later on, we visited some of Lidia’s restaurants in NY. What a treat. We tried The things we had made and some waiter suggestions. My children remember. And my daughter is now a pastry chef and runs a very successful cafe. Those were wonderful days, albeit hard with work, family and So much more.
No question, Lidia is the queen of Italian cooking. When I watch her, I think of my mom, both grandmothers and aunts. My cousins learned well, because they are also great cooks. Lidia’s cooking style is simple, fresh, uncomplicated and absolutely delicious. This is what Italian food is about. She’s simply the best, hands down.
The first time that I made this soup, I swooned. The flavors were so intense. I love making soup at home because it tastes a whole lot better than what you find in a can at the store.
Just made this and my son and hubby were in the stratosphere! I did the pasta on the side, and added the pureed beans first with hot water to the rue...then 2 cans of hand-wrung tomatoes and then hot water...then whole beans...and Mama Mia! Thank you, Lidia for sharing such an amazing technique to this rustic soup--I learned more with this demonstration about making this favorite soup! From this day on, I will always make it this way!!! You rock!!!
Dear Lydia You are the best in the world. I keep learning every time I watch you cook. You remind me of my Mother, older sisters and Aunt who are all gone in heaven today. All of your fans including me are so lucky having you teach us. God Bless you and keep you happy, safe and well. Love and Peace. Joe
I have to share this with everyone. I saw this recipie (probably the original one of yours) many years ago. We were poor, went to food banks often and all tge ingredients are pretty standard food share items. MY kids were so excited to be eating an "authentic Italian soup" in the fancy bowls with torn baguettes!
My mother made a vegan pasta é fagioli. It was not because she was health conscious or a vegan. It was vegan because they could not afford meat. When she got older, she thought it was funny that her poverty food was now health food. 😁
Thank you very much Lidia for posting this recipe! Hubby is sick and he requested some soup. I thought of making this soup since he loves beans! It was sooo delicious that he had 2 big bowls of it with a piece of buttered bread!
Lidia is such an inspiration! Such a good teacher and food enthusiast. I did not eat pasta much to my husband's dismay until I found lidia. Believe me, he is thrilled and I am trying this recipe today!
Lidia, I watched your show on PBS for many years. I want to tell you how much I appreciate you and your passion for food. You have taught me so much. Grazie!
I have been watching you since you were on public television and you are the BEST! I am 46 yrs old and I will have to give YOU and my Mom credit in teaching me how to cook! Mind you I’ve been watching you even before I had ever picked up a frying pan! You are on point with all your recipes!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟I also LOVE that it’s Vegan❤️
I absolutely love Lidia. I was born in Italy and left there when I was 16. At 51, I need a few reminders and tips. She definitely comes through. One thing I can say about this wonderful woman is that she doesn't Americanize anything. AUTHENTIC
Honest food prepared with love is priceless. I remember my father making spaghetti using the very long pasta and canned sauce. My sister and I were always delighted when he transformed us to Italy for a wonderful dinner. ♥️
I am from South Africa and loves watching your videos. Makes me think of my grandmother. I used to help her kneafing bread and she taught me to cook.Boy could she cook!
Looks delicious! Thank you for the demo! I ate at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn once that offered a choice of pasta e fagioli: red or white. I chose the white and it was absolutely amazing! I wish I had the recipe.
Lidia: Our family is French, aunt married an Italian. She made all our Italian recipes, and made this almost exactly as yours, but yours is so delicious. Love Italian, 80 yes old and still eat Italian Thursdays and Sundays. Thanks.
I have a good bit of what you say in this video...I am watching it again to make sure I make it correctly....one of my absolute favorites! I fell in love with this dish when I lived in Napoli while teaching there! Yours is as wonderful as the soup I ate over there! Thank you!
I retire from my job in America next year.Can i come visit you for dinner ill bring the wine.I love to watch you cook you make many of us Italian Americans see our grandfather cook.Your accent your smile makes me see my Grampa Giusto
i love simple hearty meals like this. I made meatless lasagna and spaghetti back-in the 80’s due to budget constraints (using chopped black olives or sliced olives adds a meaty flavor). I made quiche without the crust and I switched out the sour cream for low-fat cottage cheese (for my kids palates) and then some finely chopped green onions, or a few spoonfuls of canned mushroom and stems, canned crab, whatever was in the pantry. I was trying to feed my family well on a shoestring.
I love watching you. I have learned how to cook by watching your step by step videos on you tube. I am a single mom of six was afraid of the kitchen but not no more. You make it simple and when you give you little tip i repeat it to my friend and my kids. I sound like i know what i am talking about😛. Thank you for your video and your love od cooking. It has helped me a lot. I have learned alot. Love you jamilet from California😘
I make this soup, using your recipe. But truly thankful for learning how to grill the bread dry & then adding the garlic rub/olive oil brushing. Thank you.
Simple ingredients that we all have in our stockpile. I wouldn’t have thought to put these together, it this will be my evening meal. I’m sure it will hit the spot!
This is my favorite soup to make at home. We all make it a certain way of our own but, it’s nice to try other versions of it. I love it! Thanks for the videos! Their great!☺️💛🌷
You are a blond version of my mama~! And she cooks just like you...-probably, she learned a lot of her techniques from watching your cooking show on PBS years ago before cable tv!❤️ So glad to find this video!
Just subscribed. My whole family loves you. I remember as a kid, hardly anyone watched PBS. But I was a huge fan. My Fam seen how much of a fan I am. NOW, they all watch you and still do after all these years 😆
I just Love all of your recipes and you!! Your awesome!! I've made many of your recipes and even have two of your cookbooks!!! Keep doing what you do!!!!
In my family the dish had a "white" essence. That is the tomato was omitted and typically a ham hock was added. The overall texture had a thicker consistency. My ancestors hailed from Rome and north of Rome. You are a beautiful Italian woman, hence I'am presently cooking your "style" dish today. Buona mangiata!
Pasta e Fagioli has been one of my favorite soups. Excellent! I make bread and sourdough is an all time favorite with soup. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
Pasta e fagioli has been a favorite of mine since childhood. My mother (Sicilian) made it using tomato paste which, along with the pasta, added body to the soup. Next time I make this I'll try Lidia's recipe. It looks very good. BTW, I order Lidia's pasta through Eataly and really love it. Thank You Lidia
You are an excellent cook Miss Lydia. I watch your shows on PBS and then make them . The dishes are scrumptious and helps me touch my Udine North eastern Italian roots.
There are many variations of pasta fagoli. I make mine with celery, onions, and bacon. But I use dried beans, great northern or cannolini. Salt and pepper to taste when beans are tender. Yummy.
This is my default quick dinner (my Nona's pašta-fižol): boil pasta, open 2 tins of beans, mash them or blend, make the roux adding pasta water, pour in beans, beef stock and a bay leaf. Presto! Once served, we like to stir in a spoonful of red wine vinegar.
I love this soup, a staple in the house for my life. Funny how back then, it was thought of just as she spoke, ingredients in the pantry thrown together. Now a days, in restaurants this soup can command $8,10 even $12 bucks a CUP, forget about a bowl. Regardless it’s a staple I love and so many others. I must be a bad Italian tho. The bread. While I respect EVOO and garlic, for this soup I like plain ole bread and salted butter. I often buy a pound of Irish butter, usually in the specialty section of the grocery store- KerryGold is one readily available in most stores. I know, no self respecting Italian would change out the EVOO/garlic for butter but I have to break the tradition once in a while besides garlic and EVOO always makes it way back in cooking. (Often also I melt the butter with fresh garlic added then brush on toasted Italian bread) ***Chindon, amigas and amigos, and God Bless***
Kaidosbuddyagain Doberman You are a good self respecting Italian. The region of Alpine valleys bordering France in northwest Italy use butter more so than olive oil in their cooking. Give Plugra European Style butter, Organic Valley Cultured Pasture Artisan Crafted butter, Organic Valley European Style Cultured Artisan Crafted butter and Organic Valley butter a try. That taste considerably better, fresher and cheaper than European butters sold in the US. You won't be disappointed in the taste. I have found them at Kroger and Meijer's.
765respect thank you so very much for the kind words. And thank you for the suggestions, I will most certainly look for those butters for sure. As we all know, the average butter here in the US doesn’t compare in the quality and taste, best for cooking I suppose than in using as a spread so I will be on the lookout for your suggestions. THANKS again and have a wonderful day!!!!
I made this for the family tonight, exactly like this and it was delicious! The family loved it! I used the San Marzano tomatoes, and it really makes a big difference. Era perfetto e delizioso!
This is delicious with a cheese and onion omelette or peppers and eggs omelette, with garlic and olive oil of course. My husband loved this on a Friday, when we didn't eat meat...times have changed, of course.
@Adashelby In the Catholic faith, Fridays were meatless. I'm not Catholic but my husband was, mainly because his parents were. His mother was a devout Catholic who never ate meat on Friday. That rule changed later on...I don't remember the exact date. I am not a church goer since coming to realize it's okay to pray at home, which I do every day. Not everyone can go to church, as many of us don't have transportation, or some have disabilities that make them housebound. This is a time when most of us have opened our eyes and are seeing reality. The days of brainwashing are coming to an end. God rules, not some organization looking for money and power.
@Adashelby It's funny, how people follow a rule for hundreds of years, but then it becomes no longer in force, which to me shows it wasn't valid in the first place. No one can change the ten commandments, though...also, have you noticed our Constitution is being trashed? They want to put a mark on our arm so they can keep track of who has a virus and who doesn't, etc. with a chip in our arm, shaped like a pyramid...the mark of the illuminati aka/the beast.
Here's the trick.. While it's way too hot to eat , slam a pile of grated parmesan just at the shore of the soup and the plate.. attack the soup with a big spoon and extinguish the slight burns to your tongue and lips with the cheese!! I love it!
I save the rinds of Parmesan and put them in the soup for extra flavour. Yes, it is better to cook the pasta separately if you expect leftovers, but I also prefer it cooked in the broth. This is great to feed a crowd.
Just subscribed! Can't believe this is my first video to watch! I grew up watching you on PBS and would hang on to your every word. My favorite stories were of your Nona and now I have grandchildren of my own that call me Nona! Love you! ♥️♥️♥️
Looks good! Thumbs up on the recipe. I do almost the same but I don't bother with Roux or the blender. I just dump the can of beans with the liquid starch in later. Put in the pasta out of the box -makes its own starch along with the tomatoes cooking down for adequate thickness. A little beef, chicken, veg stock for added flavor.
I think a little drizzle of a good olive oil makes everything taste a little better. I'm going to give this recipe a try during this week. Thanks for posting..........
