Peace, Love, and Pasta, Reviewed

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For the third year in a row I am representing Abrams Books as a part of their Abrams Dinner Party. The first batch of books has arrived, and they all appear to be winners. One of the beauties of reviewing books is that I get to try a lot of new recipes and share them with you. Last week, I shared the recipe for Pasta e Fagioli, a restaurant quality soup that can double as a meal. Today I’m going to tell you a little bit more about the book.

Peace, Love, and Pasta: Simple and Elegant Recipes from a Chef’s Home Kitchen by Scott Conant, may initially appear not, as the subtitle would suggest, simple. In quite a few cases, there are lengthy cooking processes, hard to find, perhaps unfamiliar ingredients, and techniques that may be foreign to the average home cook. That said, anyone who has a working knowledge of cooking, or the desire to turn everyday food into something restaurant quality, this book is for you.

 The recipes are plentiful and varied; the photos are positively mouthwatering. The desserts will make your eyes roll back in your head. The introductions to many of the recipes are both helpful and informative. You’ll feel as though you are sitting down with an old friend with whom you often exchanged culinary tips and ideas.

In addition to a cookbook, you will also get an education in Italian cooking, taught by the chef and owner of Italian-American dining destination, the Americano in Scottsdale, Arizona, Mora Italian in Phoenix, Arizona, and Cellaio, an Italian steakhouse in the Catskills. This book focuses on the dishes of Conan’s childhood, the ones that he makes for his loved ones today. These recipes combine sophistication and comfort to bring the absolute best to your table.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Peace, Love, and Pasta from Abrams Books as a member of their Abrams Dinner Party 2021-2022.

Pasta e Fagioli

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I find, as I get older that, like many others my age, I don’t cook as often as I used to. Three times a week does it for me, with Sunday being my main “in the kitchen” day. There is nothing I like more than chopping up ingredients that I’m going to use that day, or later in the week, and putting on a big pot of soup. Soup is one of my favorite foods. I love that a big bowl of it and a crusty roll make a meal; I love that I can pour some into a mug and have it as a snack. There is just something wonderfully soothing about soup, not to mention that it’s wildly nutritious. This recipe for iconic Italian soup will take you all day long, but the results are both plentiful and restaurant quality.

Pasta e Fagioli
From Peace, Love, and Pasta by Scott Conant

1 c. dried cannellini beans
1 c. dried borlotti beans
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
4 c. chopped yellow onions
1½ t. chopped fresh thyme
½ t. crushed red pepper
1 T. finely chopped garlic
1½ t. finely chopped fresh oregano
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Kosher salt
8 oz. prosciutto ends, skinned and cut into ¼-inch dice
1 15-oz. can puréed tomatoes
2 qt. vegetable or chicken stock
2 c. dried tubettini pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, for garnish

Soak the two types of beans in separate containers overnight in 4 cups of water per container.

The next day, set the container of borlotti beans aside. Drain the water from the cannellini beans and place them in a pot. Add water to cover, bring to a simmer, and cook until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain the cooked cannellini beans and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sweat the onions with the thyme, crushed red pepper, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and a little bit of salt to help release acid from the vegetables, 5 to 6 minutes. Continue to cook until the onions start to caramelize, 8 to 9 minutes. Add the prosciutto, if using, and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute, stirring to prevent the vegetables from burning. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Drain the soaked borlotti beans, add them to the pot, and continue to simmer the broth until the beans are tender, about one hour

While the beans are cooking, cook the pasta in heavily salted water until tender. Drain the pasta, without rinsing, reserving the pasta water. Toss the pasta with a little olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.

When the borlotti beans are tender, add the cannellini beans and return to a simmer. Add half the pasta cooking water, return to a simmer, and cook for at least 40 minutes.

Allow the soup to cool slightly, then remove 1/4 of the beans from the pot and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rest of the cooked beans to a blender and purée until smooth. (Or purée the soup in the pot using an immersion blender.)

Combine the tubettini and reserved beans and divide among four or six bowls. Pour the soup over the pasta and beans and serve immediately, topped with chopped parsley, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and a drizzle of olive oil. (The beans and soup can also be prepared the day before, refrigerated, and reheated, but you may need to add some additional stock, as the beans will absorb a lot of liquid as they sit. Do not add the pasta before storing.)

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Peace, Love, and Pasta from Abrams Books as a member of their Abrams Dinner Party 2021-2022.