Mom!

 Moom! I go to school all day!Why do I have to come home and learn? This is what I hear nearly every day. It would seem Chao lei does not wish to learn Spanish before he goes to Spain. June is already mashing what little Spanish she has learned into her Mandajapanenglish. A CONUS assignment would have been so much easier.

On to the soup. This is one for those who complain they do not have the time to make a soup not from a can (except for the beans). This soup takes 30 minutes from start to eating. My children love it because of the tortellini.

Pasta Fazoolander

 Ingredients

        1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
 
        1 teaspoon tomato paste
 
        1 anchovy fillet, chopped
 
        4 cups chicken broth
 
        1 cup dry cheese tortellini
 
        1 (15 ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
 
        salt and ground black pepper to taste
 
        1 pinch red pepper flakes
 
        1 pinch dried oregano
 
        2 cups baby spinach leaves
 
        ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
        1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

Directions

 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste and anchovy fillet, cook until fragrant and color deepens, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in tortellini and beans; cook until tortellini are cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.

Stir in salt, black pepper, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, and oregano. Add spinach; cook and stir until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle into bowls and garnish with red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.

 

Quick and easy and a great soup to prepare on a cold day