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Soup au Pistou

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Number of Servings: 10

INGREDIENTS
Soup
1 cup dried cannelloni beans soaked overnight
4 QTS water
1 large yellow onion chopped
2 celery stalks sliced
1/2 lb green beans cut into 1" lengths
2 large zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
3 large tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

For the Pistou
3 garlic cloves sliced
40 fresh basil leaves
1 small tomato (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
3 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3oz vermicelli broken into 3" pieces
2 TBSP tomato paste
salt and pepper (to taste) to taste

DIRECTIONS
Drain beans and place in a soup pot. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Add onion, celery, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook until beans are nearly tender, about 30 minutes more. To make pistou, in a bowl of a food processor, combine garlic and basil. Process until finely chopped. Add tomato; process until incorporated. With motor running, slowly add oil; process until smooth. Add cheese, salt and pepper and process until incorporated. Add pasta to soup; cook until pasta and beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; stir in tomato paste. Stir in 2 TBSP pistou into soup and ladle bowls. Serve remaining pistou alongside.