Shelly's Recipe

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PORTABELLA MUSHROOM SOUP

Category: Soups

1 lb spicy or sweet Italian sausage
3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cups chopped or sliced portabella mushrooms fins removed
2 carrots cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced
2 stocks celery, thinly sliced
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes and juice
8 cups water mixed with 3 tbsp chicken soup base
1 roasted red bell pepper chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup dried pasta
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups coarsely shredded fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
5 tbsp fresh grated Asiago or other hard Italian cheese

Remove casings from sausage. Preheat medium sized nonstick fry pan over medium heat and add sausage to pan. As sausage cooks, break up into smaller pieces. Drain cooked sausage on paper towels if necessary and set aside.

Lightly spray a non stick or stick resistant 8 to 10 quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium for 2 to 3 minutes. Saute garlic until lightly browned and fragrant, add onion, mushrooms, roasted pepper, carrot, and celery stirring often until vegetables are tender crisp.

Add tomatoes and their liquid, dried herbs and chicken soup base stock to vegetables. Increase heat medium high and bring to low boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 to 40 minutes.

While soup is simmering; cook pasta according to pkg directions reducing cooking time by 3 to 4 minutes. Pasta should be slightly underdone. Rinse pasta with cold water and set aside to drain.

Add wine, pasta and sausage and continue to simmer until pasta is tender 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, fresh basil and olive oil; adjust seasonings if necessary and serve. Serves 8-10