Pasta Figioli

Ingredients

• 1 carrot
• 1 rib celery
• 1 clove garlic
• 14 o.z. can tomatoes (about 1 3/4
• Cup)
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 C ditalini or other small
• tubular pasta
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 onion
• 4 strips bacon
• 1 T. oil
• 1 3/4 C. chicken stock or canned
• broth
• 1 3/4 C. water
• 19 o.z. can white beans (about 2
• 1/2 cup)
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• Chop the carrot, onion, celery and bacon. Mince the garlic. In a
• large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion,
• celery, bacon and the garlic. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Add tomatoes with their juice, stock, water, bay
• leaf, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
• Drain and rinse beans and add them along with the pasta and parsley.
• Cover and cook until the pasta is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour
• into soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.