Pasta Fagioli

Kick allergies to the curb in style with this tasty, vitamin packed dish. Pasta fagioli is a traditional Italian dish that hails from Italy's countryside. Recipes for this tasty dish come in many variations, often based on region and family tradition. For a truly well-rounded meal, pair pasta fagioli with a tossed salad, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 cups water
1 cup dry beans (any combination of white, pinto, black or other similar bean)
5 cups of organic broth (veggie, chicken or beef)
1 large peeled, chopped carrot
1 med, chopped onion
1 large peeled, chopped potato
1 large, chopped stalk of celery
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4-6 ounces ham, in 1 large piece (optional)
2-3 cups dry spaghetti broken into 1 inch pieces (For a great gluten-free option, try Tinkyada rice pasta.)  
1 tsp dill
Olive oil
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare the Beans.
Soak the beans overnight and rinse them before using, or try the quick soak method - bring 4 cups of water and 1 cup of beans to a boil, then cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let the beans and water stand for two hours, then rinse.

Step 2: Cooking and Serving the Soup
In a large pot, combine the prepared beans, broth, carrot, onion, potato, celery, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and optional ham. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about two hours until beans are very tender and mash easily with a fork.

In the last half hour before the soup is done, cook the pasta to al dente consistency, then rinse and add a little olive oil to the pasta to keep if from sticking together. Serve in a bowl alongside soup.

Remove the soup from the heat and take out the ham; set it to the side.

Allow the soup to stand for about five minutes. While the soup is standing, shred the ham and place it in a bowl to serve with soup.

Puree the soup with a stick blender or food processor.

Serve the soup in bowls, garnish with dill, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesean cheese. Add spaghetti and meat as desired.