Makes about 6 Quarts
2 14 Ounce Bags Dried Cannelini Beans Cooked (White Kidney Beans)
2 Cups Diced Cooked Ham,
1 Lb. Pancetta, Rind Removed and Diced
2 Cups Spanish Onion, Diced (About 1 Large Onion)
2 Cups Celery, Diced
2 Cups Carrots, Diced
6 Garlic Gloves, Finely Minced
4 Cups Russet Potato, Peeled, Diced
1 35 Ounce Can Plum Tomatoes, Drained, Chopped, Juice Reserved
2 Tablespoons XVOO
2 Teaspoons Course Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
6 Cups Homemade Ham Stock or Homemade Chicken Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth
4 Cups Reserved Bean Cooking Water
1 Cup Reserved Tomato Juice
1 Bouquet Garni (In a double layer of cheese cloth, place two bay leaves, several sprigs of fresh parsley, basil, thyme, oregano and sage. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth to form a pouch like parcel and tie the pouch with kitchen twine)
Cooked Ditalini Pasta
In a large pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium heat, heat the XVOO and add the Pancetta. Cook the Pancetta until the fat is rendered and the Pancetta just starts to crisp. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and gently sauté the vegetables until the onion begins to become translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes more. Add the plum tomatoes, the tomato juice, the ham stock and the bean water. Add the cooked beans, diced ham, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil and add the bouquet garni. Reduce the heat to simmer and continue to cook for 1½ hours stirring often to be sure the mixture does not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot. (I like to cook the soup with a lid half way on the pot. This helps to keep the soup from reducing too much.) Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
When ready to serve, heat the amount of soup needed and add as much of the cooked Ditalini as you like.
