Pasta e Fagioli Soup

By á-24269

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/8 pound pancetta or 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 2 sprigs rosemary, left intact
• 1 sprig thyme, left intact
• 2 dry bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots (or 12-15 baby carrots), chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs course salt
• 1 Tbs fresh ground pepper
• 2 (15 oz) cans of cannellini beans
• 1 (21 oz) can of spaghetti sauce
• 3 cans (12 oz) chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 package ditalini noodles, cooked
• grated parmesan or romano cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Heat deep pot over medium high heat and add oil. Add garlic, onions, carrots, celery and meat and cook, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft and meat is cooked. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. (If you use lean ground meat you won't have to drain, but if meat is fatty you may want to drain before adding wet ingredients).

Add beans, tomato sauce, water, chicken broth and cook til soup comes to boil. Once soup comes to boil, add sprigs of thyme, rosemary and bay leaves and reduce heat to simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes. Fish out rosemary and thyme stems and bay leaves.

In separate pot cook noodles to directions. Add to soup right before serving. Don't add noodles any sooner or they'll keep cooking and get mushy.

Sprinkle fresh cheese over soup before serving.

Depending on how much soup you make, you may need to add another can of spaghetti sauce and/or can of chicken broth.