2 cups dried navy beans
2 1/2 quarts water
1 1/2 cups peeled diced potatoes
1 stalk celery, diced
1 leak, thinly sliced
1 cup grated carrots
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 slices bacon, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup uncooked broad noodles

Was the beans. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Let the soak 1 hour. Drain; add the 2 1/2 quarts water, bring to a boil and cook over low heat 2 1/2 hours.

Add the potatoes, celery, leek, carrots, salt and pepper; cook 30 minutes.

In an electric blender, puree the bacon, garlic, parsley, basil, olive oil and cheese (rinse bowl with a little soup) or pound ingredients together to a paste with a mortar and pestle.

Add to the soup; cook 10 minutes.

Mix in the noodles; cook 10 minutes longer.

The recipe in this entry was taken from "The Pleasures of Italian Cooking" by Romeo Salta, with an Introduction by Myra Waldo, photographs by Roberto Caramico, assisted by John Ciofalo. The book was published in New York by The MacMillan Company in 1962. For the complete copyright-free cook book visit www.archive.org.... Image --Giuseppe Maria Mitelli: the Merchant, 17th century.

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