Teresa Fiocchi’s award winning soup is sure to please the whole family!

Fiocchi Family Pasta e Fagioli

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. Our Family® Tomato Paste with basil, oregano and garlic
• 1-½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. crushed black pepper
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• ½ tsp. thyme
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans Our Family® Diced Tomatoes (no salt added)
• 1 (15 oz.) can Our Family® Tomato Sauce
• 4 cups Our Family® 100% Vegetable Juice
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can Our Family® Light Red Kidney Beans
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can Our Family® Great Northern Beans
• ½ lb. (2 cups uncooked) Our Family® Macaroni Shells
• Our Family® Italian Blend Cheese (optional)
• Our Family® Twisted Garlic Bread Sticks (optional)

1. Brown ground beef in a large stockpot over medium heat. Drain off any fat. Add onions, carrot, celery and garlic. Sauté for 6-8 minutes.
2. Add Our Family tomato paste along with salt, pepper oregano, basil and thyme. By letting tomato paste “brown” in the pan and sautéing it with the spices, you can boost the flavor of the soup. Sauté for an additional 6-8 minutes.
3. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with vinegar, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add Our Family diced tomatoes, Our Family tomato sauce and Our Family vegetable juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Drain both Our Family light red kidney beans and Our Family great northern beans and add to stockpot. Simmer for 1 hour.
4. While soup is simmering, bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually add 2 cups of Our Family macaroni shells to boiling water. Stir gently and return to a rapid boil. Cook macaroni shells uncovered for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain well.
5. Add Our Family macaroni shells to stockpot and simmer 10 minutes.

One afternoon after our family moved to Michigan late last year, we were all reminiscing about our favorite foods from restaurants “back home.” Pasta e Fagioli was a family favorite at a local Italian café in our hometown and was served with grated Italian cheese and a breadbasket. That afternoon, I set out to recreate the soup using ingredients that I had in the house. After switching out several of my original ingredients with Our Family products, this version had all the flavors and texture of the soup that my family missed from home!

— Teresa Fiocchi, Augusta, MI