Italian Pasta and Bean Soup with Orange and Fennel

Name: Italian Pasta and Bean Soup with Orange and Fennel
Cuisine: Europe, Italian
Ingredients: 1 medium bulb, fennel; 1 tablespoon, extra-virgin olive oil; , extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling; 3 ounces, pancetta or bacon, chopped fine; 1 , medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup); 1 medium rib, celery, chopped fine (about 2/3 cup); 4 medium cloves, garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 heaping tablespoon); 2 teaspoons, grated orange zest; 1/2 teaspoon, fennel seeds; 1 teaspoon, dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon, red pepper flakes; 3 , anchovy fillets, minced to paste (about 1 teaspoon); , 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with liquid; 1 piece, Parmesan cheese rind, about 5 inches by 2 inches; 2 , cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 3 1/2 cups, low-sodium chicken broth; , Salt; 8 ounces, orzo or other small pasta (ditalini, tubetini, conchigliette); 1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley leaves; , Ground black pepper; 2 ounces, grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)

Main Courses
Europe
Italian
Pasta, Grains, Rice & Beans
Fruits & Vegetables
Eggs & Dairy
Meat
Vegetables
Pork
Cheese
Beans
Pasta
Soups

Appears in Cook's Illustrated March/April 2003

The American version of pasta e fagioli is often bland and mushy and takes hours to prepare. We wanted it all: great flavor and proper texture in less than an hour.

SERVES Makdes about 4 quarts, serving 8 to 10

TIME 1¼ hours

Italian Pasta and Bean Soup with Orange and Fennel

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