Soup, Soupy Soup! (Pasta e Fagioli)

I used to not like beans. I don't think my mom cooked beans often, or cooked them at all. I remember my handling uncooked beans and thinking how on earth can somebody eat these hard pebbles. Well, I've been kind of obsessed with beans over the past few months. There is something really neat about cooking beans. You have to soak them overnight, so you have to plan ahead.

Unfortunately this whole "planning ahead" thing is not something I do often. I didn't cook my own beans for this soup. My point was I like beans now. I'm pretty sure this soup had everything to do with it.

Anyway. I used Giada's recipe because somebody who cooks delicious food loves Giada. I decided to give it a shot. It did not disappoint.

Ingredients:

4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup elbow macaroni
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure closed with kitchen twine.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic and saute until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the broth, beans, and sachet of herbs. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Discard the sachet. Puree 1 cup of the bean mixture in a blender until smooth.

5. Before putting the puree back into the soup, add the macaroni and boil with the lid on until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.

6. Return the puree to the remaining soup in the saucepan and stir well. Season the soup with ground black pepper (and red pepper flakes).

Do use low-sodium chicken broth. Pancetta gives the soup all the salt it needs. Yum. Hello, post-bean flatulence. Ew. Enjoy!

Here is the whole L. Canyon Crew: S, B, and Grandpa-J.