A Recipe for Pasta Fagioli

Today I used the rest of the cooked white beans from Thursday to make pasta with beans:

Pasta Fagioli

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil
4 cups cooked white beans
12 oz. whole wheat pasta (I use penne), cooked al dente
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper seed
salt to taste

1. Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a large soup pot and add the chopped onion, pepper and carrot. Poach the vegetables in water until they're nearly tender, adding water as needed. (NOTE: I never saute vegetables in olive oil but instead cook them in water before adding the oil. That's because olive oil retains more of its healthful properties if it's not heated above the boiling point of water. It's important, however, not to end up with a soupy mess, so don't add more water than you need to cook the veggies.)
2. Add garlic and olive oil and a little more water. Cover and cook gently for five minutes.
3. Add all the other ingredients except the cooked pasta and simmer for ten or fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the pasta. Stir gently. Adjust seasonings.

Serves four to six