Soup, for those days when swine flu has you down.
It's still cold enough here that soup is a viable option, especially when your husband is sick with swine flu a cold. So with temperatures in the 50s, I took the opportunity to make soup from the borlotti beans I had soaked overnight.
This is sort of reminiscent of red beans and rice. Except it's Italian in origin and flavor. I really like the spelt, which is shaped like rice, but is chewier, grainier. Nice.
This made a lot. I'll have to make room in the freezer for a few bowls of leftovers, which will be perfect for lunch on a cool spring day.
Keep reading for instructions...
Borlotti Bean and Spelt Soup
1 lb dried borlotti beans
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup pearled spelt
2 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
Soak beans overnight or for 8 hours.
In a medium to large pot, bring to boil enough water to cover the beans. (You can use the water they soaked in; pouring it out pours out the flavor.) Lower heat and simmer beans for about an hour, or until they're almost tender.
Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, heat olive oil. Add garlic and rosemary and sauté for about a minute. Mix tomato paste with a small amount of water and add to the garlic/rosemary mixture. Add the spelt and the stock and bring to a boil. Add the beans and their cooking liquid to the pot with the spelt, and cook over low heat until the spelt is done, about 45 minutes. If needed, add more water to maintain a soupy consistency.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs if you want a little extra Italian kick.
