Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..
Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Updated: January 29, 2023 @ 4:29 pm
Cheryl
Orr
Edenton
Epicurean
With a cold winter wind that chills you to the core, a good hearty soup often can literally be the right course.
There’s just something so comforting about a steamy bowl to savor. My husband is a soup aficionado, and when we go out for bite in town he is infamous for sending his soup back to the kitchen because it’s not hot enough, and often more than once.
I do enjoy my soup hot, but it’s the flavor that’s important to me. Soup can be complex with many layers and it’s that balance that I enjoy.
Many soups and stews are often better the second day when the flavors have really married. There is even a scientific basis for this flavor enhancement.
There are measurable changes in sweetness on a molecular level as complex carbohydrates such as vegetable fructose, dairy lactose and starches break down to simple sugars when allowed to rest and later be reheated. Large proteins also break down similar to the process of letting a dough rest.
A hearty soup with complex layers of flavors is pasta e fagioli – or pasta and beans in Italian. This soup is a beloved recipe in Italian cuisine from the Alps to the Mediterranean, but has several regional variations. Some areas prefer borlotti beans, and others cannellini beans.
Some regions use tomato in its base while others do not. As with every recipe I encourage everyone to put their own spin to their liking.
You may opt for fresh or dried beans but for ease in preparation I use a medley of imported canned Italian beans from Wegman’s that contains barlotti, cannellini, fagioli rossi and ceci.
Just be sure to drain and rinse any canned beans well. This recipe can be prepared as vegetarian as well, but I prefer the flavor that pancetta adds to the dish. A smaller pasta is always used, and any shape will do.
This soup is hearty enough as a meal when paired with a nice salad and bread.
This week I have included my recipe for Pasta e Fagioli. As Dean Martin sang, “When the stars make you drool, just like pasta fazool, that’s amore.” Enjoy!
If you have a cooking question contact me at cher.orr@gmail.com and I’d be happy to assist!
Cheryl Orr was the chef and owner of The Cotton Gin Inn in Edenton, and now owns Cotton Gin Inn Culinary in Downtown Edenton.
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