Sausage And Lentil Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, finely diced
3 qt. water
2 1/4 c. dried lentils, rinsed well
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
crushed red pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, less if dry

Preparation

Remove skin from sausage and cut into bite sized pieces. Saute in olive oil until lightly browned.
Remove from pan.
Add the carrots, celery and onion and saute until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook a few minutes more.
In a large kettle (4 to 6 quarts) combine all ingredients except basil.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer very gently for 1 1/4 to 2 hours.
Stir in fresh basil during last half hour.
If thicker soup is desired, mash with potato masher and stir.