Lisa Martin
I found this recipe in a cookbook because I love to read cookbooks and I make it all the time. One time, I made it for the New Ground Country Hunting Club in Liberty County when we had a Soup Saturday potluck gathering. It was a big hit because it is very hearty and delicious. I have people calling me up and asking for the recipe whenever I serve it.
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. celery, chopped
1 ½ c. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can (28 oz.) chopped Italian tomatoes
1 c. tomato purée
1 ¼ lbs. Sweet Italian ground sausage, sautéed and drained
6 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 c. small pasta
Preparation:
Sauté celery, onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add tomatoes, purée, and sautéed sausage. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add pasta and continue cooking until pasta is done. Serve.
TIDBIT
Flavorful Fennel
What gives Italian sausage its distinct flavor? You’ll find fennel seed and garlic are the predominant seasonings in sweet (or mild) Italian sausage, while the hot variety of the sausage adds red pepper flakes to that combination for heat. Pork breakfast sausage, on the other hand, is flavored with spices like sage and nutmeg. Fennel seed is highly aromatic with a strong, distinctive, sweet flavor, often compared to anise or black licorice, yet can be quite bitter if bitten. Interestingly, fennel is also often used in chai tea blends, and is known to have health benefits as a digestive aid.
