Pasta Fagioli Soup

Chop bacon into 1/2 inch slices and fry until crisp.

Add the onions and celery to the bacon and cook till translucent. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.

Remove casings from sausage. In a separate pan crumble and fry until no pink remains.

Combine the sausage along with the bacon and celery onion mixture into 1 large stock pot.

Add the remaining ingredients except the pasta. Bring to a boil then decrease heat and simmer 30 to 40 minutes.

Cook the pasta per package instructions during the last 10 minutes of the simmering time for the soup and drain. You can add the pasta to the soup at this point if you desire but it gets to mushy for my taste so I add it to the individual serving bowls instead.

Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon or more grated parmesan or ramano cheese.

Serve with crusty bread.

If a thinner soup is desired just add more water or stock to desired consistency.