Broken strands of spaghetti are the starch in my family’s version of ribollita, a thick Tuscan soup that is usually made with cubes of stale bread. We always had odds and ends of long pasta on the pantry shelves when I was a child and serving it this way made a hearty meal out of a little bit of pasta.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 onion, chopped

　　1 carrot, peeled and chopped

　　4 ounces pancetta, chopped

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 tablespoon tomato paste

　　1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

　　1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

　　1 (1 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

　　2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

　　6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

　　1 bay leaf

　　3-inch piece of Parmesan rind

　　1 cup spaghetti broken into 1-inch pieces

　　Grated Parmesan, for serving

　　

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add the tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbes de Provence, broth, bay leaf, and the Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, then add the spaghetti, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.

　　

Step 2

Discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

　　Everyday Pasta