Not your Nonna's Pasta Fagioli

Soup's on! Yup, I made another pot of soup this week! This has to be one of the best meal options ever. One pot gives us dinner plus lunch for Scott for the week. Granted this will all change once the kiddos start eating it. Tonight I made a double batch of pasta fagioli. Now, this isn't your Nonna's pasta fagioli, not that I would know what Nonna's tasted like, I'm Polish and Busia doesn't make pasta fagioli, she makes czarnina (google it, seriously and no my Busia never made it for me, thank God!). But after researching a lot of recipes this one was hands down the easiest to make and did not have beef in it. I got the recipe from the October Family Circle, and one batch serves 6.

Here's what you need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (use the real stuff, not the extra virgin)
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans (8oz each) no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 pound ditalini pasta
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 2 cans (15oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 pound Capicola (spicy Italian ham)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (I did a couple grinds from my pepper mill on this)

Here's what to do:

• Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add garlic and cook 1 minute
• Stir in broth, 2 cups of water, the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning
• Bring to a boil
• Add pasta and carrots
• Simmer 10 minutes stirring occasionally
• Stir in beans, Capicola, salt and pepper.
• Heat through
• Serve with Parmesan cheese

The recipe also had the nutritional info so I figured I would add that.
Per serving: 349 calories; 5g fat (1g saturated); 17g protein; 59g carbohydrate; 9g fiber; 764mg sodium; 12mg cholestrol

This soup was really good and really simple to make. Hope you all enjoy!