Pasta Fagioli Soup

sorry for the worst pic ever.

I am sitting here freezing and I don't feel so well. Therefore, I think a little homemade soup sounds perfect right now. I love pasta in all its playful shapes and sizes. I definitely think that every pantry or food storage should have a variety of pasta shapes. As soon as the specialty pasta boxes go on sale I am swooping them into my basket.  Ditalini is one of my new favorites. Such adorable little cylinders. You can use any small past shape for this soup, even maccaroni would be fun and a good use of all that extra macaroni you have stored. However, make it fun and try the Ditalini if you can find it. The other reason I love this soup is  because it is a great use of my canned smoked ham and cannelini beans. It's pantry friendly!

Ingredients
1 Cup Ditalini or small pasta shape
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion minced
1 celery stalk minced
1 carrot minced (You could also use about a 1/4 cup of deyhdrated carrots here)
2 Cans (15 oz) cannelini beans drained and rinsed.
4 cups beef stock
1 Tb fresh thyme, minced or 1 tsp dried
1 bay leaf
Dash ground black pepper
Rind from a piece of parmesan cheese (optional)
Salt to taste
Basil, minced
Parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot, heat oil and add onion, celery and carrot.. Saute for 5 minutes. Add ham and garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add tomatoes beans beef stock, thyme, bay leaf and parmesan rind.

Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minitues. Transfer 1/2 cup of soup from pot to a small processor or blender and puree.

Return to pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring liquid to a boil and add pasta. Simmer until pasta in tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and top with basil and parmesan cheese.