Zuppa di Fagioli con Salisicce

Soup with Beans and Sausage

            This Tuscan-like soup is a great meal for a cold day! It only takes 2 hrs or so from start to finish, and during much of that you can be doing something else, because the soup is just simmering. My recipe makes two bowls. Because it is so small, I chose to use canned beans instead of dried. Expand the recipe and you can use a pound of dried beans. I think the wine can be white or red, but imho it should be a fine wine to counter the rustic meal. I chose a Barbera d'Asti from Vietti (a winery that has never let me down!)

Winery at Yellow Blob

Vietti Barbera d'Asti

Castiglione Falletto

Ingredients:

1          Carrot

1          stalk     Celery

Ingredients

1          med     Shallot (1 oz)

1          Pepper (mild-medium heat)
1          link       cooked Sausage

4          cups    Beef Stock

16        oz        Cannellini Beans

8          oz        Tomato Sauce

1          small    Parmesan rind

1          sprig    fresh Basil

1½       oz        Lentils

2½       oz        Ditali pasta

1          splash  Marsala wine

1          small    Scallion

                        Olive Oil

                        Salt to taste

Method:

1    Cut the Celery into thin dice,

      Cut the Carrot into small dice,

      Slice the Shallot in half, then into very thin slices.

2    Gently sauté these in a tablespoon of Olive Oil until Celery becomes transparent.

3    While these are sautéing, clean and slice the Pepper, also thinly slice the Sausage.

4    Add these to the pot and stir until everything is heated, then add a splash of Marsala and let the alcohol burn off.

     Then add tomato sauce. Stir gently until it begins to bubble, then add the stock. Stir and bring soup to a boil.

5    Wash and pick through the Lentils. When soup is boiling, add Lentils, ½ tsp Salt and the Parmesan rind. Lower burner and stir. Let simmer, partially covered, for about an hour.

6    Strain and rinse Beans. Stir them into the soup. Float a spring of fresh basil and let simmer, uncovered, for another half-hour, stirring occasionally. 


























      While the soup cooks, slice Scallion into narrow rings, reserve.

7    Remove Basil and Parmesan (if possible) and add the pasta. Raise heat a bit. Cook until pasta is done, about 15 minutes, stirring often because soup will now thicken !!!

8    Turn off heat. Taste and correct seasoning. Stir in the Scallion rings and pour soup into bowls. Enjoy with a fine wine. This is really delicious!!

Zuppa di Fagioli con Salisicce