Pasta e Fagioli

Chop the bacon into smaller pieces and add them to a large pot with the olive oil. Fry on medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy (around 10 minutes).

While the bacon is frying, finely dice the onion, carrots, and celery.

Remove half of the cooked bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave behind the rest of the meat and any rendered fat in the pot.

Add the finely diced onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the pot. Saute the vegetables on medium-high heat until they are softened (around 6 minutes).

Add the white beans, canned tomatoes (with juices), water, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir everything to combine, then bring the soup up to a boil.

Once boiling, let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

Add the pasta to the soup and cook, uncovered, according to the package directions, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. If the broth has reduced too much (the pasta will absorb a lot of the flavorful broth as it cooks), add another ½ cup of water, taste it, and adjust the seasonings again if needed.

Serve in bowls topped with the reserved bacon, any left over chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh-cracked black pepper, and a side of warm, crusty bread.