Pastafazool - Italian Pasta and Bean Soup Recipe
( I'm not saying anything - but
that's not how you spell it !)
Pastafazool is a rich Italian-American pasta and bean soup recipe. This hearty soup can be thinned-out with more stock if desired, but it's traditionally served thick, with lots of Italian bread to dip in. Almost any sausage can be used in this recipe, or leave it out for a lighter pastafazool.
Makes 4 Large Portions of Pastafazool
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
1 bay leaf
salt and black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
1 quart chicken or beef stock (more if needed)
1 cup water
1 pound Italian sausage, cooked and cut into slices
2 cups dry pasta (Elbow, Penne, Shells, Orecchiette, etc.)
2 cans (14 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
grated Parmesan cheese to garnish, optional
Preparation:
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium flame; add the onions, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic, tomato paste, dried herbs, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; sauté for 2 minutes more.
Add the stock, water, and sausage; bring to a simmer over med-high heat, and add the pasta. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Add the beans and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until they are heated through. Turn off heat, stir in parsley, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Note: If you want a thinner soup, simply add more stock to the soup when you add the beans.
Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Croutons
This broccoli soup recipe would be delicious on its own, but when the cheesy cheddar crouton is floated on the top it gets even better!
Make 4 Bowls of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Croutons
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 heads broccoli (about 2 pounds)
1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
cayenne pepper to taste
salt to taste
for the Cheddar croutons:
4 slices french bread
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Preparation:
Cut the tops (florettes) off the broccoli and set aside. Cut the stems into 1/2-inch slices, and add to the tops. In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat; when it begins to foam add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the stock and broccoli; and bring to a simmer. Cook until the broccoli is fork-tender.
While the soup is cooking, toast the bread and place on a foil-covered sheet pan. Top with the cheese (be sure to cover entire surface so the bread doesn’t burn. Broil on high, for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and browned.
When the broccoli is ready, remove from heat and puree using a stick, or regular blender. Pour back into the pot. Add the cream and cook on low until heated through. Season to taste with salt and cayenne. Ladle the broccoli soup into bowls and top with cheese croutons.
Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup Recipe
Kale is one of the most nutritious greens out there, and pairs perfectly with sausage in this very hearty spicy sausage and kale soup.
Makes 8 portions of Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
8 oz spicy sausage (linguisa, hot Italian, chorizo, etc.), cut in 1/2-in pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 russet potatoes, peeled, quartered
1 quart chicken stock or any stock
1 quart water
12 oz fresh kale, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream and paprika to garnish (optional)
Preparation:
In a large saucepan, sauté the sausage over medium heat until browned. Remove from pan and pour off fat. Add the olive oil and onions, and sauté until soft. Add the sausage, potatoes, stock, and water. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes begin to fall apart. Add the kale and stir until it all wilts into the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the kale is cooked. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
If you want, mash some of the potato to thicken the soup, or serve as is. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and shake of paprika.
Easy Asparagus Soup
This asparagus soup recipe is a great example of the less-is-more school of cooking. It's just a simple puree of asparagus with a bit of cream. The result is a delicious asparagus soup that tastes like…asparagus!
Make 6 Portions of Asparagus Soup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 bunches asparagus, washed, woody bottoms trimmed off
1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
cayenne pepper to taste
salt to taste
Preparation:
Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces and set aside (reserve a few tips for garnish - see note below). In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat; when it begins to foam add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the stock and asparagus; and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the Asparagus is tender, but still green.
When the asparagus is ready, remove from heat and puree using a stick, or regular blender. Pour back into the pot. Add the cream and cook on low until heated through. Season to taste with salt and cayenne. Ladle the asparagus soup into bowls and serve hot.
Note: If desired, reserve a few asparagus tips to blanch and garnish the top, along with an additional drizzle of cream.
Lentil Soup with Smoked Ham Hock
It doesn’t take much cooking skill to make this lentil soup recipe taste great. The smoked ham hock and a couple hours is really all it takes to make this incredibly satisfying soup.
Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 00 minutes
Ingredients:
1 smoked ham hock
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
2 cups dry lentils
salt to taste
fresh parsley
Preparation:
Add the beef broth, chicken stock, dried thyme, black pepper, bay leaf, cayenne, and ham hock into a soup pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low for 1 1/2 hours. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and simmer covered for another 30 minutes.
Add the lentils and simmer coverer for another 30 minutes, remove cover and skim off any excess fat on the surface. Continue to simmer another 15 to 20 minutes uncovered, until the lentils are tender and the pork is falling off the bone. Taste for salt, adjust seasoning, and serve with chopped fresh parsley.
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