Pasta E Fagioli Bake

INGREDIENTS   

• 8 oz. elbow pasta
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 t. + 1 T. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans white beans, rinsed
• 1 can plum tomatoes in juice
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• ¼ t. ground pepper
• ½ cup Romano cheese
• 2 slices Italian bread torn into pieces
• 1 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves 

DIRECTIONS   

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 
2. In a large sauce pan, cook pasta. Drain well, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to sauce pan and set aside water.
3. Add 2 t. olive oil and sauté onions for about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 t. garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in beans, tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, pepper, breaking up tomatoes; heat to a boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Add pasta to bean mixture, ¼ cup Romano cheese and reserved pasta water; toss well. Transfer mixture to 3-quart casserole.
5. In a small bowl, toss bread crumbles with parsley, remaining olive oil, garlic and 2 T. Romano cheese until evenly coated. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pasta. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered, broil top until golden.

Recipe Image: Azgrabaplate