Italian Tortellini Soup
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ tablespoons dried parsley
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
Fresh grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Directions
In a large Dutch oven, brown sausage. Remove sausage to a plate. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the drippings.
Saute onions and garlic in drippings. Stir in beef broth, water, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, parsley, tomato sauce, zucchini and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Simmer covered for 1 hour or so. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.
The shtuff....
Brown the sausage in a dutch oven.
Remove cooked meat to a bowl.
In the same dutch oven, saute the
garlic and onion in the drippings for a few minutes.
Add everything to the pot, including
the cooked sausage, EXCEPT the tortellini.
Allow to simmer for about an hour or so.
Add the tortellini to the pot and....
... cook for about 10 minutes until
the tortellini are done. Is done? Whatevs.
Serve it up with some french bread
and fresh grated Parmesan cheese!
