Pasta e Fagioli a la Chez Ivano

Ingredients

• 9 ounce bottled garlic minced
• 14 ounce beef broth canned
• 30 ounce kidney beans drained and rinsed canned
• 28 ounce canned tomatoes crushed canned
• 2 cups celery chopped
• 2 cups ditalini pasta 
• 2.5 teaspoons basil dried
• 2 tablespoons parsley dried
• 2.5 teaspoons thyme leaves dried
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper black
• 3 pounds ground beef lean
• 0.5 cup olive oil 
• 4 cups onion chopped
• 2.5 teaspoons oregano dried
• 6 ounce tomato paste canned

Equipment

• pot

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Cook onion, celery, garlic and black pepper until vegetables are tender, 10 minutes. Stir in beef broth, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with thyme, basil, oregano and parsley. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. (At this point, you may put the pot on a back burner to keep warm and continue with the next steps about 1 hour prior to serving, if you wish.)
4. Stir in the beef and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and heat through, 10 to 15 minutes.