Ingredients
- 4 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig large fresh rosemary sprig
- 1 sprig bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 ounce pancetta or bacon, chopped
- 2 ounce garlic cloves, minced
- 5 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cup (14 1/2-ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup elbow macaroni
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Baking Directions:
Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it with kitchen twine.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy saucepan over a medium flame.
Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic and sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes.
Add the broth, beans, and sachet of herbs.
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.
Discard the sachet.
In a blender, puree 1 cup of the bean mixture until smooth, then return the puree to the saucepan.
Cover and return the soup to a boil over high heat.
Add the macaroni, cover, and boil, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
Season the soup with pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
