Spicy Pasta, Bean & Sausage Soup

Cabin fever was setting in again yesterday, and I absolutely had to leave work for lunch just to get some fresh air.  And because they were cooking up some nasty smelling, asphalt stuff in the plant.  Really I just couldn't stand the smell.

Because the temperatures are still below zero, schools were closed and the streets pretty empty.  I'm guessing a lot of people stayed home from work either because their cars wouldn't start or because they are smarter than me...or both.  But it sure made getting around town nice.

Mind set that hot soup was the only thing that would suffice for dinner, off I headed to pick up ingredients. I found this recipe on Epicurious, and it just screamed "warm-your-ass-up" kind of soup.  Beans, pasta, meat, cheese, spicy.  How can you go wrong with that?  I do have to apologize for the photos, I was having a "bad camera" day.

Spicy Pasta Bean & Sausage Soup
Bon Appetit / February 2001

Yield: 4-6 main course servings

Ingredients:

2  15-16 ounce cans of chickpeas
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb hot Italian sausage (casings removed)
4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 lg garlic cloves, minced ( I used 4, because I love garlic)
crushed red pepper flakes (to your tolerance)
1/4 c of tomato paste
5 cups of chicken broth
8 oz of orecchiette or other small pasta
1 1/2 c Romano cheese (I used Parmesan because I prefer it)

Strain liquid from the beans into the blender. Add 1 cup of beans and puree until smooth.  Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add sausages, rosemary, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Saute' until sausages are cooked through, breaking up with a fork (about 8 minutes).  Mix in tomato paste.  Add bean puree, remaining beans, broth and pasta.  Simmer until pasta is tender and mixture is thick, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.  Mix in 1/4 cup of the cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve. Pass remaining cheese around to sprinkle on top.