Chef Barcellos Reveals His Childhood Recipe for Classic Pasta Fazool

Chef Barcellos has shared a simple recipe for Pasta Fazool, a traditional Italian dish. He remembers cooking it often on Sunday afternoons as a child. The dish comes in two regional versions, with Northern Italy serving it as a soup and the South preparing it as a pasta meal. The recipe calls for 1/4 lb. of fresh green beans, 1/4 lb. of dry penne pasta, and 1/4 lb. of Valentino’s Italian sausage. It is typically made in early summer.

The sausage is first cooked in olive oil until half done, then removed and set aside. In the same pan, garlic and diced Roma tomatoes are cooked until the tomatoes break down. The sausage is then returned to the pan, followed by the blanched green beans, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Finally, the cooked pasta and some pasta water are added to the pan. Everything is tossed together and plated. Chef Barcellos encourages everyone to try making Pasta Fazool because of its simplicity. The dish highlights fresh, seasonal ingredients and offers a taste of Italian tradition. It can be enjoyed as either a soup or a pasta dish, depending on the region.