Bean, Sausage and Kale Pasta Fagioli

You can make this with either mild Italian or spicy Italian ground sausage. Use either chicken broth or vegetable broth. Serve with garlic bread. 

olive oil
5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped and then smashed
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (do not add if you are using spicy Italian sausage, unless you like it hot)
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 - 4 oz chopped pancetta
1 - 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
salt and pepper for seasoning
dried red beans (soaked overnight)
1 lb ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
2 bay leaves
shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups small pasta shells
1 bunch of kale, chopped (stems and ribs discarded)
3 quarts of broth (vegetable or chicken)

Drizzle dutch oven or large stock pot with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, red pepper flakes (if using), rosemary and pancetta. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the fat on the pancetta renders off and onions start to become translucent. Stir in tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper. Add the beans, broth and bay leaves. Season with additional salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to low simmer and cook for about 2 hours (until beans are soft).

About an hour in to the cooking process of the beans, drizzle olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add ground sausage and cook until browned, crumble while cooking. Then add to the bean mixture and finish cooking.

Once beans are done, uncover and bring to a medium boil. Add pasta and cook until pasta is cooked. Add kale and stir to complete mix. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove bay leaves.

Serve soup in a pasta bowl and top with shredded parmesan cheese. Serve and ENJOY!!!!!

Wine pairing................Merlot or Meritage.