Pasta Fagioli (Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter)

Pasta Fagioli

This is a thick soup bursting with the flavors of basil, sweet peppers and tomatoes. The last of last summer’s Pesto Cubes went into this meal and I used sun-dried tomatoes for a more intense taste and increased flavor depth in the sauce. Speaking of which, be sure to save and use some of the water from re-constituting the tomatoes. You might also use a different shape or type of pasta (though the gluten-free options are somewhat limited) or add diced carrots for a more traditional pasta fagioli. When served as a main dish, this is a low fat high energy dish. And in answer to those folks who wonder where vegans get their protein, you can respond that a main dish serving of this Pasta Fagioli contains 26 g of protein in a serving (more than half of what the average woman needs in a day). ~ Glyn and Will

1 oz sun dried tomatoes, softened and sliced
1/2 cup water (reserved from re-hydrating the tomatoes)
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sweet pepper rings
1 tbsp garlic minced 1 cup onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. Homemade Pesto (vegan)
2 oz spaghetti, uncooked, broken in half
1.5 cups canned white beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

Procedure
1 Soak the sundried tomatoes in 1.5 cups in a covered bowl of boiling hot water for 30 minutes.
2 Remove the tomatoes, squeeze lightly and cut into thin strips. Reserve the soaking water.
3 Sauté the mushrooms, pepper rings, onion and garlic in the tablespoon of olive oil.
4 Add the tomatoes and the pesto.*
5 Add 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid from the tomatoes along with the drained beans.
6 Add the salt and crushed red pepper.
7 Keep the sauce warm while you cook the pasta.
8 Drain the cooked pasta, and stir it into the beans.
9 Adjust the seasoning and serve in warmed bowls.
10 *If you do not pesto on hand, combine 1/2 cup basil leaves, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 2 tsp pine nuts, 1 tbsp olive oil and a dash of salt in a blender and pulse until a coarse paste is achieved.

Servings: 2 (if using as a starter for four, halve the calories in the chart below)
Yield: 4 cups
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/2 of a recipe (13.9 ounces).
Recipe Type
Gluten-Free, Main Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian