Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb dried cannellini beans (soaked overnight)
- Olive oil
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand (with a little of their juice)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Parmigiano rind
- 1/2 lb ditalini pasta
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
Instructions
- Soak the dried cannellini beans in cold water overnight. Drain and rinse.
- Heat olive oil in a pot or dutch oven. Add the chopped celery and cook until it starts to soften.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until both are soft and translucent.
- Add the hand-crushed tomatoes and the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add the beans, the Parmigiano rind, and enough water to cover the beans by an inch. This should be approximately 8 cups of water.
- Cook until the beans are tender, about 1 to 1.5 hours for dried. You can cover the pot with the lid partially, or cook uncovered. If the water evaporates too much you can add a little more while cooking. This is a soup after all. I like mine thick, but you can make it the consistency you prefer.
- Remove the cheese rind, taste the broth, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Add the ditalini and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side for sprinkling.
- Prep Time: 15 mins (plus overnight soak)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins