From the kitchen of AnnMarie Barkwell
1 lb DRY beans- northern or navy
Soak beans overnight.
Next day, boil beans for 15 minutes.
Discard water.
Boil again in 3 qt water for 15 minutes.
Reserve water.
Set beans aside.
In a pan, brown:
2 cloves garlic
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
Add:
1 3/4 – 2 c chopped onion
1/2 c diced celery
1 1/2 c diced potatoes
1 can tomatoes, mashed OR 1 can tomato sauce (16oz)
Cook & stir for 2-3 minutes.
Add:
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
reserved beans
Add: reserved water plus enough water to make 2 quarts.
Let simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.
Add: 1 c cooked rice
Serve with a sprinkling of Romano cheese
NOTES
- Instead of adding cooked rice, ok to add 1/2 c Uncle Ben’s Instant Brown Rice in the last 15 minutes directly into the soup & let cook until done. -AnnMarie
- Absolutely great with small bite-size pieces of mild Italian sausage! I used 3 links. I even shared it with a neighbor, who said it was the best soup ever! I also added 2 cloves of garlic, minced. – Don Burcin