"Pasta e Fagioli" is a typical Italian dish, which has its origins in the countryside tradition, and of which there are an endless supply of regional variations...

Indeed there is no actual "official" recipe for Italian pasta and beans, but there's practically a recipe for almost every area...

Maybe, in the end, it's the most "national" dish of Italy; present in all regions, from the Alps to the Mediterranean...

This is just my version, created over time and taking influences and ideas from a variety of sources and regions—in no way is this the definitive version...

Even so, though my "Pasta e Fagioli" recipe has a few personal touches outside of what you might consider the norm (the addition of arugula) - I still love it and any well made pasta and beans soup recipe...

I hope that you'll give it a try—you may just find you enjoy it as much as me and my family does; because it is, oh so "Definitely Delish"

"Pasta e Fagioli"

Ingredients:
1 (32 oz.) can of Crushed Tomatoes
1 small can of Tomato sauce (14 oz.)
1 Sweet Vidalia Onion, chopped
9 cloves Garlic, sliced thin
1 can (14 oz.) of Cannellini Beans
1 can (14 oz.) of Butter Beans
1 can (14 oz.) of Dark Red Kidney
1 can (14 oz.) of Chick Peas
10 oz. of thick cut lean Prosciutto, diced
1 pound Ditalini pasta
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cups low sodium Chicken Broth
1-2 cups of Arugula
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
Fresh chopped Parsley
Fresh Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions:
1. Sauté onion, garlic and prosciutto in the olive oil for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, till onion begins to soften and prosciutto begins to brown...
2. Add crushed tomatoes and sauce and cover, reducing heat to a simmer...
3. Meanwhile rinse off canned beans in a colander, then add to the pot—simmering for 20 minutes...
4. While the soup simmers; bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta till al dente, follow the box directions...
5. Reserve 1 cup of pasta liquid and drain; then add pasta & reserved cooking liquid to the beans and sauce mixture, stirring on low heat...
6. Add salt, pepper, parsley and arugula to the pot; adjusting the salt or pepper to personal tastes, also add 2-3 tablespoons grated cheese at this time and mix well...
7. Let stand on low heat for 5-10 minutes to meld flavors; if it's too thick you may add some Chicken broth, a little at a time, to reach your desired consistency...
8. Serve while hot with crusty Italian bread and butter...

Notes:
1. I like to mix and match beans, sometimes using Roman or pink, small or large white etc—use what you enjoy best and be creative...
2. When I make Pasta e Fagioli; I prefer it nice & thick, then watery like a soup—an usually serve it as my main meal with hot crusty buttered bread and more grated cheese on the side...
3. Greens are optional, I'll occasionally add Arugula or fresh chopped Escarole for color and flavor—you could also mix the two, or add some chard or kale even but be careful it doesn't change the flavor to much...