Mark- New Guy in Old Wine Bottles: Tuscan Bean and Pasta Stew

Thanks for letting me post here. When I was home for Christmas in Zanesville, (Think Wright’s “Autumn Begins In Martin’s Ferry, Ohio”) I stopped at the local used bookstore, a retired teacher’s 1940’s house located across the street from a United Technologies Plant and down the street from several bars. Convenient! Since I own three cookbooks and because no one unloads decent poetry books, I perused the cookbook section. Buried between Atkins and Richard Simmons, I found Mollie Katzen’s "Vegetable Heaven" which began a long conversation with the owner about cooking and his theory that there are only so many recipes in the world and that each recipe is just a variation on a theme. Sounds like some narrative theory to me. Anyway, having people over to drink and talk about writing while admiring your amazing Buddha Lamp? This stew will take care of 4 – 6 people.


Tuscan Bean and Pasta Stew

Ingredients

3 Cups uncooked pasta (macaroni, small shells, I used Champenelle)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups minced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
(Thanks to sage being MIA that night, Cilantro was used instead and worked well.)
1 tablespoon dried basil (or 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil)
2 10-once packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained (or 2 pounds fresh spinach—cleaned, stemmed, and chopped) I used fresh.
2 14 1/2 once cans diced tomatoes
2 15 once cans of ubiquitous cannelloni beans, rinsed, and drained.
Freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (plus more for the top)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (plus more for the top)

Directions:
Heat a large pot of water for pasta. When it boils, add pasta, stir, and cook until tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large, deep saucepan. I used a stock pot. Add onion and half the garlic, sauté for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and the dried herbs, sauté for 10 minutes. (If using fresh basil add it later)

Add the spinach to the onion, along with the tomatoes and remaining garlic and salt. Stir, cover, and let stew over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Soon, it starts to look like stew.

Stir in fresh basil if used, along with beans and pasta. Heat thoroughly and add black pepper, parmesan, and vinegar.

Serve hot in bowls, with extra cheese, pepper, and vinegar. I only added the vinegar after serving it. I’ve never made stew before and this was a perfect introduction. Katzen suggests it would be fine at room temperature as well. I couldn’t wait that long. Next time I will add mushrooms, something delicious in nearly everything. My friend Tina also suggested walnuts or pine nuts, which would complicate the texture of spinach, cannelloni, pasta, tomatoes, and provide an all-important crunch.