If you are of a certain age, or perhaps a fan of vintage American crooners, you will undoubtedly recall that one of the ways to know you're in love espoused by singer and actor Dean Martin in his 1953 single "That's Amore" was "when the stars make you drool/just like pasta fazool."

Setting aside the potentially unpleasant issue of stars making one drool, the lyrics (by Jack Brooks, with composer Harry Warren) reference the Neapolitan pronunciation (adopted by many an Italian-American) for a venerable Italian meal, pasta e fagioli, or pasta and beans. The dish also happened to be a favorite of Martin's, who came to love his mother's version of pasta e fagioli, a unique spin on the traditional recipe.