Easy Pasta Fagioli

½ cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove

¼ cup olive oil

3 cans (14.5 ounces each) stewed tomatoes

2 cans (14 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth

½ cup chopped Italian leaf parsley

Dried basil and oregano (about 1 teaspoon each)

Salt and black pepper to taste

4 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans drained and rinsed (or Great Northern beans)

½ pound ditalini pasta

In a large pot, saute onion in the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, pepper, basil and oregano. (If desired, lightly mash the tomatoes before adding them.)

After bringing it to a boil, add the beans. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes.

In the meantime, boil water for the pasta. Cook the pasta and drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the soup along with the pasta water.

Serve with freshly grated Romano cheese along with crusty Italian bread.

Serves eight (1½ cup servings).

“101 Foods That Could Save Your Life” by David Grotto (Bantam Press, 2008)