Kate's Tomato Soup

Kate made this for us at Christmas 2002. I thought to put some away in the freezer, to savour after all the kids had left, but it disappeared so fast I barely had a chance to taste it! The tiny soup pasta that works really well is called Acini di Pepe.

Ingredients:

Method:

1 cup or more, mixed
chopped garlic, onions, leeks, carrots, celery
(according to taste and what you have on hand)
Kate uses:
1 small onion
3 carrots
2 celery stalks
2 cloves of garlic
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Saute vegetables in olive oil until onions are translucent.
1 28-oz can plum tomatoes, including juice and coarsely chopped
4 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
1 tsp or more to taste of each:
dried basil, parsley, and oregano
Dash of red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
Add tomatoes and juice, stock, and spices. Boil about 15 minutes until slightly reduced.
1 cup dried soup pasta
1 540 ml can Romano beans
Add beans and boil 10 more minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a separate pot in boiling water until al dente tender yet firm. Drain.
1/4 cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese To serve: Put 3 Tbsp cooked pasta in each bowl, top with soup and grated cheese. Great with our crusty bread!
Variation: For a hearty stew, add some fresh Italian sausages, pre-cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces. Reduce amount of stock to 3 cups.
Serves from our Stefan's Kate, who got it from Kate Abatos at the Italian Market in Halifax