Italian Bean Soup(With Pasta)

• 1 cup great northern beans (rinsed and drained)
• 6 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 medium carrots (cut into small pieces)
• 1 stalk celery (thinly chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced pepperoni (chopped)
• 1 cup medium sliced ham (chunked)
• 1 can (1 lb.) chopped tomatoes with liquid
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)

1. Place beans in a small pot.
2. Cover with 2 cups boiling water and let stand for 1 hour.
3. Drain and rinse beans and set aside. In a 5 - 6 quart pot heat olive oil.
4. Cook the carrots, celery, and onion until onion is soft.
5. Mix in garlic, parsley, and pepperoni.
6. Add ham chunks, tomatoes with liquid, bay leaf, beans, and 6 cups water.
7. Bring to a boil.
8. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer until beans are tender about 1 1/2 -2 hours. Remove bay leaf.
9. Remove 1 cup of bean mix and puree in a blender with a little of the liquid.
10. Add back to the soup along with pasta. Bring to a boil.
11. Cook uncovered until the pasta is tender, 12 - 15 minutes.
12. Season to taste with salt.

great northern beans, water, olive oil, carrots, celery, clove garlic, parsley, pepperoni, ham, tomatoes, bay leaf, onion

Taken from www.cookbooks.com/Recipe-Details.aspx?id=6436 (may not work)