Pasta and Bean Soup - cooking beans with the Parson's method

I am the first to admit that making dishes with dried beans can be risky - especially if you don't do it every day, and if you have other things you might want to do with your life. But ever since I have discovered the Parson's method, I have at least one batch of beans in my fridge at all times. FOOLPROOF. Foolproof! You gotta try it.

The below soup is based on the Parson's method of cooking beans. Seriously tasty - ridiculously easy!

Pasta and Bean Soup

The Frugal Gourmet

2 c small white beans, dried
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, unpeeled and diced medium fine
1/4 c lovage or celery leaves
1/2 c tomato sauce
6 c water
1 c stock
1 c pasta, small, like stars or shells

Prepare beans using the Parson's method: place 1 c beans in a Dutch oven and cover with 2 c water. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and place in a 350 oven and bake for 1-2 hours, depending on the freshness of the beans. Or, used canned (but freshly cooked will taste and look much better).

Add all ingredients to the pot, except salt, pepper and pasta.

Cover and simmer lightly for 90 minutes, or until beans are very tender.

Remove bay leaf. Remove 2/3 of the contents of the pot and puree. Return to pot and restore to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta and cook until pasta is just tender, about 15 minutes.

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