Pasta Fagioli

In a soup pot pour about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cut one or two slices of onion and quarter them. Add it to the oil.Crush or dice a small clove of garlic. Add it to the oil. Heat the oil and lightly sauté the onion and garlic until tender. Don’t let them burn.

Put one can of petite diced or diced tomato into the pot and stir. Sauté for a few minutes just to lightly cook and blend the flavors.

Add three or four cans of unrinsed red kidney beans into the pot, add one can of refried beans and add about six or seven cans of water. Cut and add about 2 or 3 celery stalks with the leaves and a tablespoon of fresh Rosemary cut into smaller pieces. Make sure it is well stirred and the refried beans are dissolved.

Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer with the lid partially covering the pot for about an hour or two, stirring occasionally.

Add a box of Ditalini or small elbows into the soup, stir well and cook until al dente. Salt and pepper to taste.

The soup is ready to eat or for a real treat let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to thicken and blend flavors. Makes a great meal and goes well with homemade pizza. Some people also like to grate some Parmesan cheese over the top with a pinch of parsley. Enjoy!