Cosmic Ray's Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients:
1 lb. dried Fagioli Lima beans (soaked overnight drained and rinsed)
½ cup DaVinci Orzo pasta (100% Durum wheat semolina)
1 head roasted garlic (google it for roasting instructions)
½ cup dried Shitake mushrooms
8 quarts water plus 4-6 cups heating on low in another pot (for rehydration without cooldown)
2 small fresh zucchinis (diced)
½ cup chopped tiny baby carrots
6.5 oz can Snow’s Chopped clams (plus the juice)
10 oz can Chicken of the Sea whole baby clams (plus the juice)
½ cup hand torn Peppadew peppers (mild whole sweet piquante` from gourmet store)
12 oz Contadina tomato paste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (the best quality brand available from a gourmet outlet)
8 limbs celery (chopped medium size like end of your pinky)
7.9 oz medium sliced (~1/8 “) Palacios Chorizo Picante (hot dried Spanish ring style chorizo sausage. Buy from gourmet outlet)
2 tbls “Better Than Bullion” chicken base (paste)
3 large Bay Leaves
½ cup dry red wine
Set aside:
1 cup Barilla Piccolini mini wheels pasta (cooked Al`Dente)
2 tbls grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
½ tsp red pepper flakes
Sea salt to taste (must not be added until beans are buttery soft ~ 6th hour of cooking)
2 tbls chopped parsley
½ lb fresh Buffalo Mozzarella cheese pinched into little pieces (imported sealed in water gourmet shop)
Preparation (24 hours including soak time):
Using a deep sauce pot, add water and soaked beans, boil for 10 minutes, reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours (making sure beans don’t become uncovered with water or stick to bottom of pot.)
Add all ingredients except Piccolini mini wheels pasta, chorizo, chicken paste, salt, whole clams, grated cheese, and pepper flakes. Cook on low heat for 4 hours (religiously stirring and adding water from other pot to keep beans covered and not sticking about every 12-15 minutes.) This is the labor intensive part that will make or break the dish if not followed to the tee.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer 15 minutes stirring constantly. Garnish with more parsley and grated cheese and serve.
