Shelly's Recipe

HOT SAUSAGE SOUP

Category: Soups

1 1/2 lbs hot Italian sausage
1 large onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28-oz can water
4 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper
Bay leaf
2 15-oz cans cannelini beans
1 bunch greens (escarole, mustard, kale, etc.)

Over medium high heat, saute the sausage in one-half cup water in a large sauce pot until the water dissolves and the sausage is browned on all sides. While they are frying, pierce the sausage in several places with a fork to release some of the fat. Remove the sausage and cut into one-half inch rounds.

Chop the onion and peppers into half-inch chunks and fry in the same pan until they are tender.

Put the sausage rounds back in the pot and use a food mill to strain the crushed tomatoes into the pot.

Add 1 can of water and the garlic cloves and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about one and a half hours.

Add one can of the beans, drained and rinsed. Puree the other can of beans and add to the soup along with the greens, washed and chopped into bite-size pieces.

Simmer for another 15 minutes until the greens are tender and serve with hunks of crusty bread. It is also nice to sprinkle each serving with a generous helping of grated Romano cheese.