Amy Scattergood's Cranberry Bean, Lacinato Kale And Pasta Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 leeks, part only, cleaned and sliced, about 2 cups
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
• 3 cups dried cranberry beans
• kosher salt
• 2 bunches lacinato kale, cleaned, stemmed and coarsely chopped, about 10 cups
• 3 cups dried orecchiette (about 9 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hungarian paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 1. in a 4-quart soup pot or cast iron casserole (with a lid that fits), heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and cook the leeks, carrots and onions over medium-low heat until just softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 2 2. add the dried beans and 12 cups of water. bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with the lid, stirring occasionally. after about 45 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. continue to cook, covered, and again stirring occasionally, just until the beans are soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour or more (this may vary according to the beans you use).
• 3 3. with a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the beans and, separately, 2 tablespoons of bean liquor and set both aside. add the kale to the soup, stirring in a few cups at a time as the greens wilt. cover, and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes more until the greens are tender, then remove from the heat.
• 4 4. meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta until al dente. drain and reserve.
• 5 5. in a food processor, combine the reserved beans and bean liquor, sage, parsley, paprikas and lemon juice, the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. blend until smooth, then check for seasoning, adding more salt if desired, or bean liquor to aid in blending.
• 6 6. just before serving, stir the cooked pasta into the soup. ladle the soup into bowls and top each with about 2 tablespoons of spiced bean purée. grate parmesan over the top of each bowl to taste and serve immediately.