Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 medium ribs celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
6 cups chicken broth
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans or chickpeas (or a combination), drained and rinsed
¼ cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juices
2 bay leaves
1 cup pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery and increase the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Add the wine and cook about 5 minutes. Add the broth, salt, pepper, beans, lentils, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are just tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Add the pasta to the pot and stir to incorporate. Turn the heat up to a gentle boil and cook until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 12 minutes depending on the type of pasta you used (follow timing on the package). The soup will thicken a bit by the time the pasta is cooked.
Discard the bay leaves from the soup.
If the soup seems too thick, gradually add 1 to 2 cups of water or chicken broth and thin to the desired consistency (the longer the soup sits on the stove, the thicker it will get). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with more cheese, if desired