Snow, snow.....

You can stay. It is winter after all.

I'll admit it- I don't mind winter. I may complain while shoveling after a big storm, but I don't mind the cold. I'll even go as far as to say that I would rather the cold than a very humid, 100 degree day in the summer. Call me crazy.

One of my favorite things about winter is soup! I'll share oneof my favorite recipes- one that you can make with minimal prep time and is very easy on the wallet. 

Escarole & Ditalini Soup

Ingredients

1 head escarole
5 cups broth (vegetable or chicken works)
8 oz Ditalini (or other small pasta)
Salt to taste

- Escarole tends to be very sandy, so you want to wash this really well. Cut it into pieces (size depends on your preference, I like it a little smaller to make it easier to eat with a spoon), throw in a colander and rinse. Really well. Get in there and mix it around, making sure you get the sand and dirt off.
- Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a big pot, throw in the salt and escarole, cover and put on medium high. I like to steam the escarole a little before throwing it in the broth, this way it takes some of the intense flavor out. This is optional- feel free to just toss the escarole in with the broth!
- While your escarole is steaming, put the broth in another pot and put on medium heat. If you happen to have a piece of rind from a block of Parmesan cheese- now is your time to use it. Since I don't like to waste, I throw the rind into soup. As it cooks, the cheesy flavor and saltiness comes out, adding a richness to the soup. This is also the time to use your homemade stock (check out my previous post!)
- Let the escarole steam until it has wilted down by about a third. Drain the liquid out and toss the escarole into the broth. Walk away.
- Let this cook for about 20 minutes. There really isn't a science to it. When you're ready, cook the Ditalini a little short of ready (it should be pretty firm). I don't like to put the pasta into the soup because it tends to soak up too much liquid. Instead, I keep it separate and mix it into the soup as I serve it. The choice is up to you!
- Once the soup is ready, pull out the Parmesan rind (if you used it) and discard. Put a scoop of pasta in a bowl and cover with the soup. I like to grate some more fresh Parmesan over the top as well. It gives it a really nice finish.
- Admission- I'm not a fan of beans. I just don't like the texture. My family, however, loves beans. Feel free to add Cannelloni or Red Kidney beans to this recipe!


That's it. It is an easy, non labor intensive recipe that will give you a soup that warms you from the inside out.