This is Pumpkin!
Nugget, the cat I found in a car engine
Dobby, the oldest
And Adelaide, who has a wonky eye (her best feature)
Anyway, back to important things... FOOD!
Jacqueline would also tell you, one of our staple dishes from when we were little was Pasta e Fagioli. It was never my favorite as a kid... it translates, literally, to "Pasta and Beans." Doesn't sound too exciting, right? Now, as a somewhat broke adult, it's one of my favorite dinners, and it only improves as leftovers. And you WILL have leftovers, because you can make a huge batch very inexpensively, especially if you get the ingredients at Aldi.
There are many variations of this recipe, but this is the one my mom gave me. In true Italian-cooking-form, she didn't give me any measurements, but I've done my best to turn "splashes" and "pinches" into measurements. It's a forgiving recipe.
Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients:- Olive oil
- 1/2 medium sized white or yellow onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic (I use the kind that is pre-minced in oil, but if you use cloves, this would be about 2 cloves)
- Crushed red pepper (to taste - depending on how spicy you want it!)
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp Italian spices (or, if you don't have this blend, a dash of basil and rosemary will do)
- 2 cans Cannelloni beans, with the liquid
- 1 - 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with liquid (without any seasoning)
- Red wine (optional - just a splash!)
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- Pasta of your choice - I like elbows or Pipettes for this recipe, and about 8 oz should suffice
- Parmesan cheese
- Put about 1 tbsp of olive oil in pot or dutch oven
- Dice about 1/2 a white or yellow onion and add it to the olive oil, along with the minced garlic
- Sautee on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until onions become slightly translucent
- Add a little crushed red pepper, black pepper, salt, parsley, and italian spices. Sautee for a couple more minutes on medium heat
- Add 2 cans of beans, with the liquid, 1 can of Diced tomatoes, with the liquid, and a splash of red wine
- Continue cooking on medium heat for a few minutes
- Add 2 cups of vegetable broth. I used 1 bullion cube and two cups of water - either will work. Continue to let this boil and let some of the liquid evaporate, stirring frequently
- Separately, cook your pasta according to directions. I used Pipette pasta that I got at Aldi, but you can use any kind. I have not tried whole wheat pasta, but I'm sure it would work, too!
- When the pasta is done, put a small amount of pasta in a bowl and top with the soup/beans.
- Most importantly, top with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, and black pepper to taste.
As you can see, you probably have most of these ingredients on hand, anyway. All of the ingredients are incredibly inexpensive. With the exception of some of the spices, which I already had on hand, I got most of these ingredients at Aldi at the prices below:
- Beans: ~$.75 per can
- Diced Tomatoes: ~$.55 per can
- Parmesan: $2 for the container
- Minced garlic: $2 for a jar that will last you quite a while!
- Pasta: $1 for 1 lb
- Red Wine: I used Winking Owl, which is a pretty decent wine for $2.89. Definitely good enough to drink while cooking :)
- 1 onion: $,50
- Spices: $2/each, or less
And now, I have lunch for the rest of the week, too! If you try it, hope you enjoy!
