This sort of ties in with the threads about trying to figure out
restaurant recipes and childhood food favorites.

One of my least favorite things my mother made was her "pasta fazoo"
which I now know is pasta fagioli.

Since I spent the most time with my mother in the kitchen, all my
siblings ask me if I have this recipe. I have been telling them over and
over that I never liked the stuff, so I never paid attention.

I realized recently that I like a lot of foods now that I didn't as a
kid - mushrooms, olives, eggplant, lima beans (!) etc. So, I decided I
would try and figure out her recipe.

Her pasta fazoo was very simple. She was a very simple cook. It was just
black eyed peas and pasta. Very beige.

I found a recipe on line which seemed close - no tomatoes - so I used it
as a guide.

This was just an experiment so I made a small batch.

1/2 cup black eyed peas - quick soak method (boiled for two minutes then
sat, covered for one hour)
1/2 cup ditalini, uncooked
5 cups water
3 cloves garlic, minced
half of a large onion, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper

Saute the garlic and onion until soft. Add the beans, water, salt and
pepper. Bring to a boil and cover and simmer for 90 minutes until beans
are done. Add the pasta and bring to a quick boil and simmer till done.

This is close to what my mother made - her beans ended up very mushy, so
I think she cooked them all day instead of soaking. The soup was thick
and cloudy. I forget what shape pasta she used, but I think she tended
to use broken thick spaghetti.

I did the above with a couple of modifications to make it more to my
liking. I added a sprig of fresh thyme, a bay leaf, and small parmesan
rind. She would never make any of these additions. It was pretty tasty.
I'll make it again for sure. My mother is rolling in her grave....

Tracy