Pasta e Fagiole
By Angela Amison

1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/4 lb bacon or pancetta, chopped
1 lb ground beef
2 onions, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped very fine
4 cups chicken or turkey stock, homemade if available
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 (19 oz) cans cannelline beans, well drained, divided
1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, well drained
1 (14oz) can tomatoes, seeded and chopped, liquid drained
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp dried ground thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 cups (12oz) detolini or other tubular pasta
1 cup cooked orzo
1 carrot, shredded
Parmigiana, as a garnish
chopped basil as a garnish

Place a large, heavy soup pot, over medium heat.  Cook the sausage links with a small amount of water, covered, until the sausage has browned , about 10 minutes.  Remove sausage to a plate and let cool.  Once cooled, chop into pieces and then use a food processor to finely ground the sausage pieces.  Brown the bacon/pancetta in the same pot as used for the sausage links, using a little olive oil if necessary.  When the bacon/pancetta is browned, not crisped, add back to the pot the chopped sausage and ground beef and cook until both have browned, about 15 minutes. 

Next, add the onions, celery, and garlic, cook five minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the stock and skim to remove excess fat.  Continue to cook at a simmer, for about 10-15 minutes.  In a food processor, blend tomato sauce with 1 cup cannellini beans until smooth.  Pour the mixture into the pot then add the remaining cannellini beans, kidney beans, tomatoes and herbs.  After 5 minutes, add the pasta and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the orzo and carrots and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.  Add more water or stock if necessary to produce a thick stew like consistency.  Serve with grated parmigiana and chopped basil.  Yield: 8 servings