Italian Cannellini Bean Soup

A wonderful and warming soup taken from the pages of Williams-Sonoma. Served with tapenade topped baguettes, it's a great cold-weather meal.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup pancetta, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1  medium carrot, chopped
• 1  stalk celery, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained
• 5  cups chicken broth
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  chopped thyme (1/2 teaspoon if using fresh)
• 1⁄2 cup  grated parmigiano
•  kosher salt
•  fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. In 3 1/2 quart dutch oven over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook pancetta in oil for 5 minutes, Add onion, carrot and celery and cook 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add beans, broth and thyme and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
2. Take off heat and puree with immersion blender until smooth. Stir in cheese. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Slice a baguette loaf into 1/2" slices. Brush both sides of slices with olive oil. Salt both sides. Toast bread until golden. Top toasted slices with a good tapenade spread (I use Trader Joes' tomatoe and fresh basil brushetta.
4. Serve and enjoy.