Food52
What is dirt cheap anymore? Inexpensive or economical and feeds many, I recall a big pot of bean soup going a long way to feed a big family on a skinny budget. Without a doubt I immediately go to "beans" and a big pot of pasta fagioli for my cheap but wonderful dinner for eight. Beans because I heard how cheap they were in the Great Depression. Today is sausage making day and the soup is on, no time for anything fancy here today. I have to have something ready for the two day process and this is one of my go to recipes. I would love to say that this is a family recipe and it is, mine, I didn't have the advantage of growing up with my Italian relatives so I don’t know what their recipes are and dad was a sailor you know so we spent little time with relatives. When he cooked, he threw in elements of what he remembered on his plate and in his bowl. He was a good cook; I miss his face and his food! Then again I would love to give credit to my mother and her version I do, a slight nod, for adding cabbage and calling it cabbage and beans to serve 7 of us. Over the years to create a more expensive version and fancy things up a bit for a company dinner, I added chicken and/or beef broths, still economical because I make my own stocks and broths and freeze. Select greens and garnished with pesto. My notes later in the recipe mention other additions, not necessarily budget friendly. Great for a casual dinner, serve a fresh loaf of bread and a salad. Most definitely better the second day.
