pat's Recipe

Pasta Bean Soup

Category: SOUPS/STEWS

Ingredients
4 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
4 4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 15-1/2-ounce or 19-ounce can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed, divided
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup medium pasta shells or orecchiette
2 cups individually quick-frozen spinach (6 ounces)
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation
1. Combine broth, garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot; bring to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes to intensify flavor. Meanwhile, mash 1 cup beans in a small bowl.

2. Scoop garlic cloves and rosemary from the broth with a slotted spoon (or pass the soup through a strainer and return to the pot). Add mashed and whole beans to the broth, along with tomatoes; return to a simmer. Stir in pasta, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just tender, 10-12 minutes.

3. Stir in spinach, cover and cook just until the spinach has thawed, 2-3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a drizzle of oil, if desired, and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Makes 8 servings