Pasta and Bean Soup

This is a Italian soup, It's thick, hearty and a healthy soup.  Great for a cold winter day.  Serve alone with some crusty bread.  I recently got this cookbook from an antique shop in Arundel, Maine.  Copyright 1976 Great Home Cooking in America.

Pasta and Bean Soup

1 lb bag of dry Great Northern Beans

1 quart of water and 1 quart of chicken stock

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 large, whole carrot

6 strips of bacon

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 1 lb cans of stewed tomatoes

1/2 bay leaf

1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp salt and pepper

1/4 cup of water

1 cup of ditalini, or any small macaroni, cooked according to package directions.

Place beans in a pot and cover with cold water and allow to soak  overnight or at least 8 hours.  Drain and rinse.  Combine the beans, 1 gt of water and 1 quart of chicken broth along with the salt and the carrot.  Simmer for 2 hours or until the beans are tender. 

Fry the bacon in skillet until crisp.  Remove the bacon and drain on paper towel. Crumble and set aside.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon drippings. Add to this the onion, celery and garlic.  Do not brown saute' until tender.  Stir in the tomatoes, spices, and 1/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile cook the macaroni and drain, When the soup is ready puree at least 1/2 of this mixture. Chop the carrot into bite size bites. Remove the bay leaf.  Add the macaroni.  Heat thoroughly.