White Bean Soup

By debrcovey

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1/4 cup chopped pancetta
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 each carrot and celery stalk, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cans (each 15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 baguette slices, each 4" long and 1/2" thick
• 1 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp. sherry vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. honey

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

In 3 1/2-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 2 Tbs. oil. Cook pancetta 5 minutes. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add beans, broth and thyme; simmer over low heat 10 minutes. Off heat, puree with immersion blender until smooth. Stir in cheese, salt and black pepper.

Brush baguette slices on both sides with oil; season with salt. Heat cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Toast bread 2 minutes per side. In blending cup of immersion blender, chop bell peppers. Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 Tbs. oil, parsley, vinegar, red pepper flakes, honey, and black pepper. Top baguette slices with pepper tapenade. Serve soup with crostini.