Ingredients
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3 carrots, peeled and chopped
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1 onion, peeled and chopped
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4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
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3 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth
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2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
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2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or White Northern beans)
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1 tablespoon dried basil
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2 cups dried large shell pasta
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4 quarts spinach leaves, rinsed
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salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1 cup grated parmesan cheese (approximation)
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2 lbs hot Italian sausage or 2 lbs mild Italian sausage
Instructions
- Remove casings from sausages and put them in 8-quart stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook them, stirring often and breaking them apart until browned and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon out and discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat from pan.
- Add carrots, onion, and garlic; stir often until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.
- Add broth, tomatoes with their juice, beans, and basil. Bring to a boil.
- Add pasta, reduce heat and summer, with cover on, stirring occasionally until pasta is just tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Skim and discard fat.
- Stir in spinach and cook just until it is wilted, about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Offer parmesan cheese to sprinkle over top to taste.