Florentine Bean Soup With Pasta

Total Time: 24 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (16 ounce) package dried great northern beans (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 16 cups water (or more)
• 5 cloves garlic, unpeeled,plus
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled,chopped
• 1 stalk celery, cut in half
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 3/4 cup tubettini pasta or 3/4 cup elbow macaroni (about 6 ounces)

Recipe

• 1 place beans in large pot.
• 2 add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 inches.
• 3 let stand overnight.
• 4 drain beans well.
• 5 return to pot.
• 6 add 16 cups water, 5 unpeeled garlic cloves, and celery stalk.
• 7 bring mixture to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 8 meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 9 add onions and 3 chopped garlic cloves and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• 10 add tomatoes with juices, rosemary, sage, and celery salt to mixture, stirring to combine.
• 11 add vegetable mixture to bean mixture in pot.
• 12 simmer soup until beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
• 13 cook pasta in another large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
• 14 drain well.
• 15 add cooked pasta and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to soup, stirring to combine.
• 16 thin soup with more water, if desired.
• 17 season soup to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
• 18 makes 12 first-course or 6 main-course servings.