Pasta e Fagioli (Paste and Bean) Soup

I wanted to plan something for dinner that went with focaccia. I decided to make Pasta e Fagioli (Paste and Bean) Soup, but I did not make focaccia.

(The soup looks very thick here because this is the leftovers, and the pasta drank up some of the broth.)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup small pasta (ditali, elbows, or broken spaghetti)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, finely diced (about 1 cup or so)
• 1 large carrot, diced (or 8 to 10 baby carrots, diced)
• 1 stalk celery, diced (or 1/2 bell pepper, diced)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 12 ounces hot Italian sausage
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
• ~ 48 ounces low-sodium chicken broth (you will reserve 1 cup or so)
• 1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed well and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, rinsed well and drained
  

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta in boiling water - drain at appropriate time.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil ina  Dutch oven over medium heat. 
3. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes.
   If practical, crumble the sausage while it cooks and drain excess fat.
   (If starting from frozen links, defrost in microwave until slightly cooked. Slice open, and finish cooking among veggies below. When cooked, pull sausage from pot, dice into very small pieces.)
4. Remove sausage from pot.
5. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Stir in onion and other veggies. 
6. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and stir for a minute.
7. Stir in 5 cups of chicken broth, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, thyme, Italian sausage.
   (Save 1/2 can of chicken broth to stir in when you re-heat leftovers.)
8. As needed, season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Stir in rinsed drained beans. 
10. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
11. Stir in pre-cooked pasta and serve. (Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.)

Carole's Notes:

This make 4 to 6 servings. If you reheat the leftover soup, stir in the reserved cup of chicken broth.

Recipe is a mix lightly adapted from http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/30-minute-pasta-and-kidney-bean-soup-pasta-e-fagioli-recipe.html
and http://damndelicious.net/2014/05/17/olive-garden-pasta-e-fagioli/