Pasta fazooooool

Yes, I know that's not how you spell it. Almost as cringe-worthy as seeing someone type wah-lah or viola! for voila!, right?

Anyway. Soup. On April 18. Not that there's anything wrong with soup year round, but I'm usually moving on to grilling things and fresh things now but it's still winter feeling so today, soup.

I like to say the name of pasta e fagioli  more than I like to eat it. Quick, cheap, and painless to make; and filling to eat without meat. I made 678 gallons of it last night to get rid of some ditalini and beef stock as I continue cleaning out my pantry.

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

4 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp already jarred minced garlic)

Crushed red pepper - to your taste, mine is a few shakes. Some is required!

Oregano - 1/2 tsp

Kosher salt

15 oz can of kidney beans, rinsed

15 oz can of pinto beans, rinsed
Half bag frozen cut green beans

15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes with liquid

15 oz can of tomato sauce

3 cups beef stock (you can use chicken or vegetable or water for that matter, but you'll need a little boost if you just use the water)

Half a box of ditalini

Directions
Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and saute about six minutes or until onion is soft and translucent.

Add beans, tomatoes, sauce, stock, and spices. A word about this - I do not like crushed red pepper and even I add a few shakes to this soup. It requires it. If you have bay leaves, sprinkle a few of those in there too. I couldn't lay my hands on mine quickly enough and shit was burning.

Stir well and bring up to a low boil. Add ditalini and cook over medium until pasta is done, about 10 minutes. I personally turn it down to low and leave it on longer so the liquid goes down to almost nothing and everything soaks in the flavor.  I don't like a lot of broth in my soups. MFD does so he adds more on the back end when heating up. 

To Freeze
I gave you the measurements for a single pot which will feed four. I doubled it and it made enough for at least two more dinners for two or more than a week of lunches for me. If it's just you and you don't want to eat it more than twice, freeze half of one pot. Remember not to fill your containers to the very top - what you're freezing needs room to expand and breathe.

I spent all last night thinking it was Wednesday night so today actually being Wednesday is a low blow.