Many chefs have a version of a Fagioli soup. Here's my savory rendition with fresh herbs, white wine, homemade chicken stock, and topped off with fresh baked chili chive croutons.
Plus, a wine taste test...It's Zin, versus a red blend and chardonnay.
Herbs bring food to life and tomato dishes just sing with the addition of basil and oregano. Add your dried herbs at the beginning into the oil to activate their aromatic fragrance.
Wine is a beautiful conductor of flavor in soups. It melds into the rich tomato base and lingers on the nose and palate.
I know it's more work than popping open a can (and sometimes I do that too) but homemade chicken stock adds bountiful flavor you cannot get inside of an aluminum tin. I had cooked chicken thighs with fresh rosemary, sage, sweet basil oil, and Governor's White Riesling. The resulting substance was amazing to cook with.
When you make your own stock and refrigerate or freeze it, it's thick, rich, packed with herbs, spices, citrus, or whatever you choose to include. Then when you incorporate that into the soup with more herbs, alcohol, fresh veggies, and you've got flavors skimming across your taste buds from all directions!
But of course with this soup it doesn't stop there. I take my favorite corn muffin recipe, (follow recipe but instead of corn cakes put in muffin pans) mix in spicy green chilies and chives, then drizzle with olive oil, and bake into crispy croutons. Forget the crackers. These little nuggets are up there with the Olive Garden bread sticks :)
Now for the wine tasting results :)
Folie a Deux 2010 Zinfandel-The soup seemed to bring out the tannins in the wine and made them stand out stronger. With blackberry, ripe plums, and black pepper spice it's a pleasant pairing with this soup.
Acronym 2011 Red Blend -This jammy wine blended with all the flavors. No one jumps out in a negative way. Bright with red fruits, slightly sweet with vanilla and caramel tones, it cuts through the sharpness from the tomato base.
Folie a Deux 2010 Chardonnay - I love the buttery notes of this wine but the tropical fruits, honey, and green apple make it wrong for the red sauce. Delicious cooked in the sauce though!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried purple basil
1 teaspoon dried Italian oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 pinches of salt, or to taste
1/2 cup Chardonnay (or other dry white wine)
1 cup homemade chicken stock (or canned)
2 cans Italian style tomatoes (or 1- 28 ounce can of San Marzano)
1 - 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup uncooked multigrain spiral pasta (you can use white but cook time may be less)
1 - 15 ounce can cannellini beans, with liquid
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add herbs and pepper. Stir continuously to release oils. It only takes about 30 to 60 seconds. Be careful not to let them burn. Toss in vegetables. Then salt. Once they are tender and translucent pour wine in. Allow to deglaze for 3 or 4 minutes.
Dump in stock and stir until it dissolves to a smooth consistency (if using canned just cook for 2 or 3 minutes.) Stir in tomatoes and sauce. Then sprinkle with sugar. Simmer this on low for about 20 minutes.
Add pasta and cook approximately 10 minutes, until pasta is tender. Add undrained beans and mix well. Heat through. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. You can also include fresh basil leaves for a garnish if you have any.
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