Italian Bean Soup With Pasta - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup great northern beans or 1 small white beans, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove (minced or pressed)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup thinly sliced pepperoni
1 lb smoked ham hock (about)
1 lb tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup small shell pasta
salt
grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

Place beans in a bowl; add 2 cups of the water, let stand overnight (or, bring to boiling in a medium saucepan, boil briskly 2 minutes., remove from heat, let stand, covered, 1 hour).
In a 5-6-quart kettle heat oil. Cook carrot, celery, and onion until onion is soft. Mix in garlic, parsley, and pepperoni. Add ham hock, tomatoes, (coarsely chopped, with liquid), basil, bay leaf, beans and liquid and remaining cups water.
Bring to boiling. Cover, reduce heat. Simmer until beans are tender and ham separates from bone, about 2 hours. Remove ham hock; discard bones, fat, skin and bay leaf. Return ham in chunks. Skim, discard fat.
Remove 1 cup of the beans. Press through food mill (or puree in blender with a little soup liquid). To soup add pasta shells. Bring to boiling. Cook, uncovered, stirring, until pasta is tender, 12-15 minutes.
Season to taste with salt.