WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH GREENS AND BREAD DUMPLINGS
1 hour, 35 minutes (30 Start to finish: active)
Servings: 4
2 large eggs
2 cups fresh white or whole-wheat breadcrumbs
2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces chopped pancetta
½ cup medium chopped onion
1 cup medium diced carrot
1 ½ cups medium diced fennel
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Two 15-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces baby kale, spinach, or chopped larger greens of your choice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or to taste Kosher salt
Black pepper
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the crumbs, cheese and sage. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Roll into 12 balls.
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan heat the oil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is lightly browned, about eight to 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon. Leave all the fat in the pan, add the onion, carrot and fennel, and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until very lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, one minute.
Add the beans and the chicken broth to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the dumplings to the pot and simmer, covered, for eight minutes.
Transfer 2 cups of the solids with a little of the liquid to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the puree to the pan. Add the kale and pancetta and simmer, stirring, until all the greens are wilted, about three minutes. Add the lemon juice; salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into four soup bowls and spoon three dumplings into each bowl.
Nutritional information per serving: 485 calories; 160 calories from fat; 18 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 136 mg cholesterol; 727 mg sodium; 51 g carbohydrate; 12 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 27 g protein.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sara Moulton is host of public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.” She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows including “Cooking Live.” Her latest cookbook is “HomeCooking 101.”