Tortellini Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 oz. pancetta, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
9 c. homemade chicken broth
2 tsp. dried Italian herb blend
9 oz. best quality spinach or cheese tortellini
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (packed in puree)
8 oz. fresh spinach, rinsed well, stemmed and coarsely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat.
Add the pancetta, garlic and onion.
Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and herbs.
Bring to a boil and stir in the tortellini. Simmer, uncovered, until the tortellini is cooked, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer another 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with a liberal sprinkling of grated Parmesan.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.