Sausage, Bean & Tomato soup

This soup was originally thrown together for a last minute get together.  A friend later asked me for the recipe, and then informed me some weeks later that it had become one of her go to recipes.   I was flattered, and because I witnessed the fussiest of eaters: a bunch of children aged 3-8 years old cleaning out their bowls, I decided it was a keeper.  Both my meat hating veggie lover and meat loving veggie hater love this soup. Make it and freeze it (without the pasta) for a quick week night supper.  Serve it with crusty bread and a bit of goat cheese. You could also garnish this soup with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese.

Sausage, Bean & Tomato Soup

Serves 8

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 4 mild sausages (I used German), casing removed
• 2 liters beef or vegetable stock
• 1 540 ml  (19 oz.) can of white beans (cannellini beans)
• 500 ml (2 cups) canned chopped tomatoes
• Pinch of fresh or dried (if fresh finely chop):
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of brown sugar
• To taste freshly ground pepper and sea salt
• 1 l (4 cups) cooked pasta (small soup pasta or penne, fusili, macaroni, bowtie etc…)

In a large saucepan saute the onion, pepper, carrots and celery for 6-8 of minutes until slightly browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add sausage to the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes until slightly browned, all the while breaking the sausages up into little pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Add stock, beans, tomatoes,herbs, bay leaves and brown sugar.  Let simmer for 25 minutes.  Season to taste. Add 125 ml (1/2 cup) of cooked  pasta to each bowl just before serving and cover with soup.