Pasta e Fagioli

The way I cook, there's no wrong way and there's lots of room for substitution. You'll see that with this and other recipe's. This hearty soup with pasta is loaded with veggies and filling for all. The base is a tomato soup and the veggies are tender, but still firm. I serve it with some bread to dip. I tell my kids if it were any healthier for you, you'd need a prescription!





You'll need:

1 box ditalini or any small pasta, 16 oz
1 medium onion chopped, or my grocer has chopped frozen onions...A LIFE SAVER
1 1/2 celery hearts, that's the whole vegetable plus another half, chopped to "fit on a spoon" pieces
5 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups hot water
4 small chicken bouillons or 2 large
32 oz jar of ready made tomato sauce... I put sauce in everything.
1 box frozen chopped spinach, or if you don't have that put in some lettuce or mixed greens salad (trust me, it looks and tastes like spinach and iceberg or romaine lettuce can pass for escarole!)
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon parsley
Pepper to taste
1 can of of each cannellini and red kidney beans, 16 oz or so, drained and washed

Sauté onion in 3 tablespoons olive oil until translucent
Add carrots, celery, hot water, bouillons, sauce, spinach and herbs.
Bring to a boil then add beans.
Allow to simmer gently for 10 more minutes.
Cook pasta according to box directions for al dente, usually 1 minute less than recommended.
Serve soup with a scoop of pasta in each bowl.

Serves 6