Categories: ITALIAN, SOUPS

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 to 2 tsp salt
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 small succhini, diced and/or 1 cup diced eggplant
• 1 tsp oregano
• fresh black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 3 to 4 cups (or more) water
• 1 14 1/2 oz can tomato puree (approximately 2 cups)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked pea beans, chickpeas, or kidney beans
• 1/2 to 1 cup dry pasta (any shape)
• 1 to 2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, diced (optional)
• 1/2 cup freshly minced parsley
• parmesan cheese

Directions

1. *Heat the olive oil in a kettle or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add celery, carrot, eggplant (if using zucchini, add it later, with the bell pepper), oregano, black pepper, and basil. Cover and cook over very low heat about 10 minutes, stirrring occasionally.

2. **Add bell pepper, zucchini, water, and tomato puree. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Add beans and simmer another 5 minutes.

3. ---

   Bring the soup to a gentle boil. Add pasta, stir, and cook until the pasta is tender. Stir in the diced fresh tomatoes, and serve right away, topped with parsely and parmesan.

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