If you live in southeastern Pennsylvania, you might
have heard the forecasters hype a snowstorm for today. I was a little
disappointed to wake to rain, but it brought the chilly dampness that harkens
winter, the kind of day when mothers think soup. I'm not talking about a can of
tomato or an envelope of chicken noodle. No, a day like today calls for soup
simmering on the back of the stove for hours, a rich stock, a tender stew, a
bean pot.
I can remember my grandmother making stock on a day
like today. With a minimum investment of time and ingredients, she would
transform a leftover carcass and a few aromatics into golden broth. The gently
simmering liquid added much needed humidity to a winter house. The steam
misted the windows, creating a warm cocoon. The homey aroma promised a hearty,
healthy dinner.
It’s easy to keep soup ingredients on hand. Onions,
carrots, garlic, and celery are staples in most kitchens. Bay leaves are
another staple that you can use in tomato soups and many other recipes. I keep
a zip lock bag in the freezer with the bits of chicken most people discard
(bones with a bit of meat on them, wing ends, the tendons that I cut away from
breasts, necks from a whole chicken). I also freeze the carcass of chicken or
turkey rather than toss it in the trash. When we have ham, I always buy it with
the bone. It’s cheaper, and I have the start for split pea soup or pasta
fagiole. Soup is an economical way to feed a family.
Some people believe that soup making is a kind of
alchemy, beyond the reach of the average cook. I suspect that these people
never witnessed a soup maker at work. Work is probably too strong a word for
soup making, however. The only heavy lifting involved is moving the filled pot
to and from the stove. While it does take time to make soup, the time is
largely unattended. In fact, the best part of making soup is that it gives me
an excuse to stay indoors on a nasty day. If I’m asked to run an errand, I can
simply say, “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m making soup.” A fellow soup maker understands.
The uninitiated are awed. And I’m left to tend my soup, usually sitting in my
recliner with a book in my hands.
So today, I found a bag of beans I bought at the
Grower’s Market, and tonight we’ll have pasta fagiole, a perfect meal for a
perfectly nasty day.
Pasta Fagiole
1 pound small white beans*, rinsed and picked over
to remove any dirt or stones
1 bay leaf
1 meaty ham bone
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small can diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked ditalini (or any small pasta)
Cover beans with water in a large, heavy pot with
lid and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover pot, and let sit for one hour.
After the beans have softened, drain, and return to
the same pot. Add bay leaf and ham bone. Cover all with water by at least 1
inch. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover pot, and cook until beans are
tender, between 2 and 3 hours. (
When beans are tender, remove ham bone and add
onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and tomatoes. Continue to cook for another
hour, until the vegetables are tender. If necessary, add more hot water to bring to
a soup-like consistency. When the ham is cool enough to handle, remove any meat
from the bone, chop, and return it to the soup pot.
About 30 minutes before serving, bring pot
of salted water to a boil and cook the ditalini until al dente. Drain and add to the
soup pot. Allow everything to simmer for about five minutes, then turn off the heat and
let sit for another five minutes while you gather the family together, slice a
loaf of crusty bread, and pour the wine. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Serve with a drizzle of full-flavored extra-virgin olive oil.
Mangia!
Vegetarian option: eliminate ham and add
extra garlic and onions. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil over low heat until
caramelized to add a depth of flavor before returning the beans to the pot and
covering with water. Add a generous teaspoon of salt when cooking the beans and
the vegetables because otherwise the beans will be bland.
Other options: if you don’t have a ham
bone, you can substitute bacon or pancetta. Put the bacon or pancetta in the
empty pot while you are draining the beans. Cook until the bacon or pancetta
releases its fat and becomes crisp. Continue the recipe as written.
*Fresher beans will cook more quickly than older
beans, but there is little difference in flavor.
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