Recipe courtesy of Ina l Garten.

Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
Active Time: 40 min

Yield: 6 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

1 (1-lb) bag Goya 16 bean soup mix.

2 tbsp good olive oil, plus extra for serving.

6 oz pancetta, 1/4-inch-diced.

1 large onion, chopped.

1 tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves).

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano.

1 c dry red wine.

4 to 6 c good chicken stock, preferably homemade.

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1 c miniature pasta, such as ditalini or tubettini.

1/2 c freshly grated Italian parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving.

1 tbsp good red wine vinegar.

Julienned fresh basil leaves, for serving.

Directions:

The day before you plan to make the soup, place the bean mix in a large bowl, add cold water to cover by 2 inches and refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain the beans, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Place the beans in a large pot with 8 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally ad skim off any foam that rises to the top. The beans should be very tender and the skin will peel away when you blow on a bean.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and onion and saute over medium to medium-high heat for 12-18 minutes, until browned. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for one minute. Add tomatoes, wine, 4 cups of the chicken stock. 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and turn off the heat.

Drain the beans and add two-thirds of them to the soup. Pass the remaining beans through a food mill, discarding the skins. Stir the bean puree and the pasta into the soup, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender. Add up to 2 more cups of chicken stock if the soup is too thick. Stir in the parmesan and the vinegar. Ladle the soup into large shallow bowls and add a swirl of olive oil, a sprinkle of parmesan and some basil. Serve hot with extra parmesan on the side.

Cook's Note: from Ina Garten:

You can refrigerate the soup for up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months. Add more chicken stock or water if the soup is too thick.