Tuscan Bean Soup

There are as many recipes for Tuscan Bean Soup as there are Italians, everyone makes their soup slightly different. Sometimes I like to use an immersion blender and mash some of the soup when it’s finished. Serve with lots of crusty bread and fresh butter.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic
¼ lb. pancetta, chopped
1 stalk celery, minced
1 carrot, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 qt. chicken or vegetable stock
2 cans cooked cannelini beans, white kidney beans will do
1 small can chopped plum tomatoes
1 leftover rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, ground or crushed
½ bunch fresh sage, chopped
2 sprigs Italian parsley, chopped

Instructions

Heat a Dutch oven over a medium high heat, add oil and when hot, sauté onions until lightly translucent. Turn down the heat to medium; add garlic and pancetta, stir to cook but do not brown the garlic.

Stir in the celery and carrot, season with a pinch or two of salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Add the tomato paste and stir until the vegetables are well coated.

Add the stock, beans, tomatoes, cheese rind and seasonings. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes. The cheese rind should have melted into the soup, but, if there is still a hard piece left, remove it and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.