Laurie's Vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli

Lately I've been on a "ask everyone for their immigrant recipes" bender. It's a long story as to why I started (although, not hard to figure out ...), but the point is it has been beyond interesting asking people for their recipes and the stories that go with them.

This one belongs to my friend Laurie. If you are looking for a stereotypical Italian-American, SHE IS SO IT. From her fiery temper to the way her hands fly around when she's talking, she's basically a clone of her grandmother. Her grandmother, aka Tiny Grandma, immigrated to the United States when she was six. When I asked Laurie to share a recipe from Tiny Grandma's kitchen, I ended up with about 15, but this one stood out because of the story that went with it.

There are infinite variations of Pasta e Fagioli, of course. It's one of those dishes that has been passed on for generations, with little tweaks happening here and there. Tiny Grandma's version did not have meat. Tiny Grandma was passionate that a good cook can make anything without meat (::FistBump:: to Tiny Grandma!), but most especially a good soup. She was so passionate about it that when Laurie's mom made her own variation of Pasta e Fagioli with meat and tried to serve it with Tiny Grandma around, war broke out.

I can't possibly do the rest of the story justice, but the image of a bunch of Italian women screaming at the tops of their lungs that "meat ruins everything" makes me laugh.

It especially makes me laugh because every other Tiny Grandma recipe Laurie shared was meat-centric.

Vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes
2 15-oz cans white beans
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups baby spinach
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
Parsley
8 ounces mini penne, cooked according to the instructions on the box

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet then toss in the carrots. Wait a minute or two then add the zucchini and celery. Stir and then a minute or two later, add the onion, garlic, and basil. Stir occasionally and cook until the onions are nearly clear. Then toss in the tomatoes and use a fork to break them up as they cook.

2. In a large stock pot, combine the beans and vegetable stock and heat until boiling. Toss the spinach in there. It will wilt almost immediately.

3. It's time for everything in step one to meet everything in step two. Throw everything in the stock pot and allow it it boil for a few minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.

4. When it's time to serve the soup, add the cooked pasta. Garnish with parsley.

Comments

[Mary]

That is almost exactly the recipe I have but I have never thought to use spinach! I do mine in the crock pot. I used crushed tomatoes instead of whole. Put everything in the crock pot in the morning except for the pasta, spinach and beans. 30 minutes before serving throw in the beans and pasta. I'm not sure where you would put in the spinach maybe right before you serve? There is a crock pot version for you!! I adore this soup and I too got it from my Tiny Grandma!

[Kate]

My family is from the Ukraine and my grandma taught me to make pancakes that are moist and don't need butter or syrup and I pretty much won't eat the dry bread-y IHOP pancakes I've been referring to as American Pancakes for years. I don't have a RECIPE recipe because she never measured anything and so neither do I. There are 5 ingredients -- sour cream (of course, Ukraine), eggs, vanilla, sugar and flour -- and you mix them all and add more sour cream or more flour until it "looks right." That's the best I can give you.

A few years ago I asked my husband to get the kids ready in the morning because I was craving these pancakes and was going to make them for breakfast. He said, "can YOU get the kids ready and I'LL make pancakes?" I said, "I don't have a recipe, I just know when it's good." He said, "I'm sure I could find a recipe." A few minutes later I saw what he was Googling. And what do you think he searched? "Communist pancakes." Yep. So now we all lovingly call them Communist Pancakes.