On these busy nights before the holidays, I like that I have a few homemade soups and homemade rolls or bread in my freezer. They are easy to defrost and heat and can be on the table in no time at all. This may be a quick dinner, but it is both nutritious and delicious.

Italian Escarole Bean Soup

This is one of our family’s favorite soups. I can remember my grandparents making this often and it seemed to be my grandfather’s favorite lunch. If you would like to make this soup vegetarian, it is easy to do. Swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (chili) for the dried sausage.

Ingredients

• ½ onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups dried white beans (cannellini), soaked overnight in water to cover and drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 16 cups no salt added chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• 2 heads of escarole, washed and cut into small pieces
• 1 cup chopped dried spicy sausage/salami
• 1 cup short pasta
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions

Heat oil in a large Dutch Oven and add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook until tender. Add the Italian seasoning and soaked and drained beans. Heat for a minute or two and add the broth.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cooked the beans for 30 minutes. Add the pasta, re-boil, lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes more.

Add the dried sausage, salt and escarole. Let simmer until the escarole wilts. Ladle into soup bowls and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Sourdough Ciabatta Bread

I always have sourdough starter in my refrigerator that I keep in a crock, so it always available for baking. You will find that this bread will not puff up much in the oven. It will stay quite flat, like a slipper, hence its name (ciabatta means slipper in Italian). Ciabatta is one of Italy’s most delicious breads and it goes so well with soup. I like to make Ciabatta with a sourdough starter because it adds a nice tang to the bread.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough starter removed from the refrigerator the night before baking and placed in a covered bowl
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 cups Italian 00 flour or unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment combine the water, olive oil, yeast, sourdough starter, 1 cup of the flour and the salt. Stir in the remaining flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is the consistency of drop-cookie batter. Transfer to the dough hook attachment and knead the dough until it is smooth and satiny. The dough should be on the slack side, but not oozy; it needs to be able to hold its shape.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise, undisturbed, about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough gently and divide it into two pieces. Form the loaves into torpedo shapes, and place the loaves on a baking sheets dusted with flour and cornmeal. Cover with a damp towel.

Let the loaves rise until they look puffy. This should take approximately an hour. While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 425°F.

Brush or spray the loaves with water; a plant mister is good for this job. Bake for 10 minutes, spraying the loaves with water two more times.

Lower the oven to 375°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Beans, Bread, carrots, celery, escarole, Italian Cuisine, onion, Pasta, Sausage, Soup, sourdough, Vegetables Tags: escarole soup, sourdough ciabatta bread