Here is a real simple yet hardy soup my grandmother and mom used to make. This is a great meal that takes no time to prepare, and with a loaf of crispy Italian or sourdough bread to dunk into the soup, can be your entire meal. Did I say it was healthy? We ate it anyway because we loved it and it tasted so good. You can feed a family of 6 for pennies with this soup. That’s why when you are brought up with parents that went through the depression this meal becomes a staple. Chances are if you grew up in an Italian family you have had this soup before. This is our version. Hope you enjoy it!

Escarole and Bean Soup

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 large head of escarole, washed and chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 – 32 oz containers of chicken stock
• 3 – 15.5 oz cans of cannellini beans, drained
• a 3″ block of Parmesan cheese rind or the cheese itself
• 1/4 pound of Ditalini pasta or any small soup pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste

In an 8 quart stock pot add the olive oil and place on medium low heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and allow to cook till tender. Smash the cloves with a fork to distribute the flavor.

Before the garlic burns add the escarole to the pot. Sprinkle with some salt and sauté until the leaves start to wilt, about 5 minutes. Turn up the heat to high and add the two containers of chicken stock. Stir and cover until the stock starts to boil. Once the stock is boiling add the 3 cans of drained cannellini beans and the hunk of Parmesan cheese. Stir and bring back to a boil, then add the pasta. Stir well and allow to cook for 11 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and the soup is ready.