This is basically the recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis' book Everyday Pasta. She uses kale, but we prefer spinach.1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg pancetta
1 box/can of cannellini beans, drained
6-7 c. chicken broth
spinach, frozen or fresh
1-2 packs of fresh tortellini (I prefer spinach & ricotta filled)
In a soup pot, cook the pancetta, carrot, onion, and garlic in 1 T. of olive oil until pancetta is browned (about 5 minutes). Add the cannellini beans and the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Add the spinach. (I've used torn fresh spinach leaves, part of a box of thawed frozen spinach...and last time I even used about 1/4 of a package of cooked spinach from the deli section at the grocery store. The quantity of spinach is up to you.) Add the tortellini and cook according to the time on the package...usually about 5 minutes. Serve and top with fresh grated parmesan...and maybe a dash of Tabasco if you need it!
**Karli told me she added a parmesan rind to this soup, and it made it much more flavorful. I think parmesean rind added to anything is wonderful so I'll be doing that next time!
