Southern Pasta e Fagioli Recipe

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped Vidalia onion
• 2 cups chopped carrots (about 4 large)
• 2 cups chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
• 1 turnip, peeled and diced
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black-eyed peas, liquid included
• 1 (1-pound) smoked ham hock
• 1 tsp. ground mustard
• ⅛ tsp. ground clove
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 cups dark beer, such as stout
• 1½ cups ditalini or elbow pasta
• ½ cup chopped parsley

Directions

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add onion, carrots, celery, turnip, potato, black-eyed peas, ham hock, mustard, clove, bay leaf, thyme, a pinch of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and beer. Stir to combine, and fill pot with enough water to cover ingredients by an inch.

Bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir, then cover and lower heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until ham hock is tender, about 1 hour, skimming foam from top. Remove from heat. If soup is too thick, add water to loosen. Season with salt to taste. Remove ham hock to a plate to cool. Once cool, remove as much meat as possible and chop. Return meat to pot and discard bone and skin.

Add pasta and return soup to a boil. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf and serve soup warm with parsley sprinkled on top.