Recipe - Quick Bean And Pasta Soup With Crostini

2 teaspoon Olive oil
5 ounce Lean Canadian bacon; cut
into thin strips
1 small Red onion; minced
1 small Red bell pepper; cored and
seeded, minced
2 lg Cloves garlic; minced
2 cn (14 1/2ounce) fatfree;
reducedsodium chicken
broth; see cook's notes
1 cup Uncooked; small elbow
macaroni
2 tablespoon Minced fresh or 1 1/2
teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoon Minced fresh or One half teaspoon
dried thyme
1 cn (15ounce) cannellini beans;
undrained, divided use; see
cook's notes
Freshly ground black pepper
to taste
Crostini; see cook's notes
Optional garnish: chopped
Italian parsley

Cook's notes: If soup is too thick, add either more broth or water until
soup reaches desired consistency.

Many supermarkets now carry canned cannellini beans. Italian markets sell
them, too. But if you can't find them, substitute great Northern beans.

To prepare crostini, cut rustic bread into slices about 3/8inch thick.
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of each slice
lightly with olive oil. Broil the bread until it turns brown, about 11 1/2
minutes. Flip the slices and broil them until the second sides brown, 3060
seconds. Watch bread carefully, because it can burn easily, especially if
it is stale.

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil on mediumhigh heat. Add
Canadian bacon, onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until
onions soften and start to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium
and add garlic; cook 1 minute.

2. Add broth and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and
herbs; boil 8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place half of the beans in a food processor fitted with the
metal blade. Process until pureed. Remove soup from heat. Add remaining
whole beans and the bean puree to the soup; stir to combine.

4. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Presentation: Ladle soup into 5 bowls. Top with crostini and, if desired, a
little chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Yield: 5 servings

Nutritional information (per serving): 267 calories, 4.4 grams fat, 1.0
grams saturated fat, 14 milligrams cholesterol, 650 milligrams sodium, 15
percent calories from fat

Posted to recipeludigest by ncanty@juno.com (Nadia I Canty) on Mar 27,
1998