Pasta, Bacon and Bean Soup
This soup makes a very filling meal served with crusty bread and it is a very cheap and easy meal to make. Ideal for the dreaded winter evenings.
8 rashers chopped rindless streaky bacon
2 leeks sliced
2 carrots cut in half and sliced
400g / 14 oz tin mixed beans
1 litre / 1¾ pints chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato puree
50g / 1¾ oz small pasta shapes (e.g. fusillini)
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare the leeks and carrots and cut into fairly thin chunks.
Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
The salt in the streaky bacon will most likely be enough to flavour this soup so try some before adding any more salt. We used pasta shapes but any type of pasta can be substituted. If you don't have any Parmesan cheese to top off this soup then simply sprinkle a few parsley sprigs or leaves of whatever herb you can find.
Cut the leeks and carrots into fairly thin chunks as the soup doesn't take very long to cook and we don't want the vegetables to be too raw.
STEP 2Fry the bacon until golden brown without oil as this will cook well in its own fat.
Add the leeks and carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes until softened.
Put in the stock, tomato puree, beans and pasta and simmer until the pasta is cooked, around 10 minutes.
Cooking the pasta, bacon and bean soup
Sprinkle on parmesan cheese to taste and serve the soup in a bowl with a warm crusty baguette. Delicious!!
Pasta, bacon and bean soup served in a bowl