New Year's Good Luck Pasta Fazool Recipe

Place a cold soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced bacon. Cook stirring occasionally until most of the fat has rendered out and the bacon begins to crisp up about 5 minutes. Drain off most of the excess fat with a paper towel if desired leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add onions celery and salt. Saute until and softened onions turn translucent 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in black pepper cayenne dried thyme dried oregano and tomato paste. Cook stirring occasionally until the tomato paste starts to caramelize onto the bottom of the pan about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook stirring for 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and water and raise the heat to high. Bring to a simmer over high heat; reduce heat to medium and let simmer while you prep the Swiss chard.

Remove chard leaves from tough stems. Gather a handful of leaves and slice across in one direction; turn and slice across again. Repeat with remaining chard. Place into a bowl and fill with water. Swish around to remove dirt; transfer washed greens a handful at a time to another bowl to drain.

Stir the Swiss chard into the pot and simmer over medium heat until greens become tender about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Stir in the drained beans and raise the heat to high; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook until the pasta is tender stirring occasionally 12 to 15 minutes.

Once the pasta is tender check the seasoning. Serve immediately in large bowls. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese a drizzle of olive oil and red pepper flakes.