1 lb. dry cannellini, navy beans or baby lima beans
1/2 prosciutto bone, ham hocks or smoked ham bone
1/4 lb pancetta or lean salt pork, finely diced
1/2 lb. cubed sopressato, pepperoni or prosciutto
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks with leaves, thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon oregano flakes, or to taste
1 or 2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon basil flakes or 1 tablespoon fresh, or to taste
6-8 large garlic cloves, mashed
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 16 oz. can crushed or whole Italian plum tomatoes
1 lb. tube pasta (ziti, penne, etc)

This recipe was traditionally prepared using a prosciutto bone with a good deal of the meat still on the bone. My mother would go to Boston's North End and have the butcher cut the prosciutto bone into 3 sections for multiple uses (where we would also obtain "prosciutto ends"). These days, a prosciutto bone is a commodity which is less simple to procure.

Although substitutes such as sopressato (or even smoked ham hocks!) may be used and the results will be good, the soup will not be quite the same as the original, so some might argue that it would be worthwhile to purchase the entire prosciutto just for the benefit of getting the bone after all the prosciutto has been sliced. The prosciutto bone can also be used to make a Springtime soup "Minestra" which is a broth made with Escarole greens and pasta.

An additional benefit is the rind and fat on the outside of the prosciutto, which can be finely diced and rendered in the pot to start the soup for sautéing the onions, garlic and vegetables. This replaces the salt pork or pancetta in the recipe and imparts a delicate and unique flavor.

Wash and pick over the dry beans and then soak overnight. Drain the following day.

In a large soup pot, sauté over very low heat the olive oil and cubed pancetta, proscuitto or salt pork for 10-15 minutes until the oil picks up the flavor. Sauté the vegetables (except for celery and tomatoes) and seasonings for 10 minutes, then add remaining ingredients (except tomatoes and pasta), including the drained beans, along with 2 1/2 quarts of water. Add the 1/3 proscuitto bone (or 1-2 ham hocks or any ham bone you have). Instead of red pepper flakes, you can just add a whole hot red pepper, seeds and all (depending on how hot the pepper is - we use hot peppers from the garden to the pot).

Cover the pot and simmer over very low heat until the beans are very tender (about 3 hours or more). Check often and add more water, if needed.

If a soup bone is not being used, consider adding chicken broth instead of water; otherwise, the chicken broth will only detract from the delicate flavor of the prosciutto.

Cook's Note: Fresh herbs are preferred whenever available. When using fresh herbs, remember to use a larger quantity than when using their dry counterpart.

When the beans are tender and the broth is flavorful, add the crushed tomatoes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If you like a creamy soup, mash/blend a cup or so of the beans and stir them back in.

Simmer until the pasta is ready.

Boil pasta according to package directions. Stir into soup just before serving.

Serve accompanied by crusty Italian bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese as an option.

This soup tastes even better the next day!

Submitted by: CM