Pasta e Fagioli

Instructions

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1. 1 Chop the bacon into smaller pieces and add them to a large pot with the olive oil. Fry on medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy (around 10 minutes).
2. 2 While the bacon is frying, finely dice the onion, carrots, and celery.
3. 3 Remove half of the cooked bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave behind the rest of the meat and any rendered fat in the pot.
4. 4 Add the finely diced onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the pot. Saute the vegetables on medium-high heat until they are softened (around 6 minutes).
5. 5 Add the white beans, canned tomatoes (with juices), water, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir everything to combine, then bring the soup up to a boil.
6. 6 Once boiling, let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
7. 7 Add the pasta to the soup and cook, uncovered, according to the package directions, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
8. 8 Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. If the broth has reduced too much (the pasta will absorb a lot of the flavorful broth as it cooks), add another ½ cup of water, taste it, and adjust the seasonings again if needed.
9. 9 Serve in bowls topped with the reserved bacon, any left over chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh-cracked black pepper, and a side of warm, crusty bread.