Cannellini Bean Soup

Rinse the beans. In a large pot, combine the beans and 6 cups of cold water over medium-high heat. Let come to a boil, cover partially with a lid, then reduce the heat to medium so the beans simmer gently until tender, 1½ to 2 hours. You may have to add more water to keep the beans completely covered as they cook. Drain the beans.

Meanwhile, chop the onion, cut the celery and carrots into small pieces, and chop the garlic. (You can do this in a food processor, if you prefer).

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring often, until tender and beginning to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the thyme, 4 cups water, the pepper, and the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt. Stir in the beans. Let simmer for 20 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water. Taste for salt – you may want to add a little more.

Serve the soup topped with Parmesan and a little more pepper.

**If you prefer to save time and use canned beans instead, skip the first step (obviously) and add two 15-ounce cans of drained and rinsed cannellini beans to the soup and simmer as directed.