Happy Meatless Monday!  As you may or may not know, Planet Forward supports the Meatless Monday campaign – a non-profit initiative in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  It’s part of an eco-friendly worldwide movement to reduce consumption of animal products in favour of more plant-based meals to fight global warming and improve our personal health.  This week we bring an Italian vegetarian recipe for you to try.

Pasta e Fagioli was originally a dish made by peasants who couldn’t afford meat.  Nowadays you’ll see it in Italian restaurants sometimes made with prosciutto or pancetta but in its original form, it’s a vegetarian classic.  The beans lend the protein and the pasta add carbohydrates.  When served with a side salad you have a well-rounded meal.   Bread is a good accompaniment with the soupy consistency of the dish.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 16-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces elbow, ditalini, orrechiette or other short pasta freshly cooked (you can also break long pasta into pieces if that’s all you have for a rustic flair)
Grated Parmesan (omit if vegan)
Hot chili flakes to taste

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until brown (about 2 minutes). Stir in tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add parsley, basil and oregano and simmer until tomatoes soften, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon (about 15 minutes). Add beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place pasta in bowl. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pour sauce over and toss thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Hot Chili flakes (if desired).

Don’t forget – to join the movement, sign up online by going to your local Meatless Monday site or you can go here http://www.meatlessmonday.com/ to learn more.   If this Monday passed you by, next week is another chance to go meatless – it’s only one day for an eco-friendly cause.  Make it part of your New Year/New Decade Green Resolutions.  Join us.

Buon (vegetarian) Appetito!