Meal: Pasta E Fagioli Bake

Pasta E Fagioli Bake:
This dish is a play off of the soup with the same name. The original recipe was a bit dry for my taste so I've added additional crushed tomatoes.

Modifications: This can be made vegetarian by eliminating the Italian bacon. Or for a more hearty dish cook up chicken breasts, diced and mix into the casserole before baking.

Ingredients
8 oz (1¾ cups) ditalini pasta
3 oz Italian bacon (panchetta or prosciutto), cut into ½-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 (16 oz) can plum tomatoes in juice
1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes
¾ cup chicken broth
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
2 tbsp grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp dried parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large sauce pot, cook pasta in boiling salted water as label directs. Drain well, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to sauce pot; set reserved cooking water aside.

Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until browned, stirring occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon bacon fat from saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion and 2 teaspoons olive oil, and cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, pepper, and cooked bacon; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To pasta in sauce pot, add bean mixture, ¼ cup Romano cheese, and reserved pasta cooking water; toss well. Transfer mixture to 3-quart casserole. In small bowl, toss bread crumbs with parsley, remaining olive oil, remaining minced garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons Romano cheese until evenly coated. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pasta. Bake pasta 15 minutes, uncovered, until hot and bubbly and top is golden.

Good Housekeeping