Saturday Soup

My grandmother, Lucy Piermarini, was a wonderful cook.  Because she was my caregiver when my mother worked, she taught me how to cook all the regional dishes of Tuscany and many great recipes from her Roman heritage.  Because she never wasted anything, she would make a large (18 quart) pot of soup on Saturday which would become the first course for our weekly Sunday dinner.  Soup is always comforting so this recipe can serve you well if you put it in a slow cooker and walk away.

In a slow cooker, pour in 64 ounces of chicken stock or beef stock.  Set the temperature on low.  Add 3 tbl.  of tomato paste, three bay leaves and six cloves of garlic, crushed.  This is the basic stock when you make this soup.  To enhance the flavor of the broth, you can add demi glace, a little wine, etc.  For really great flavor, add a rind of parmiagiano reggiano or any frozen rind of cheese (always freeze the rinds because they are a fabulous addition to soups and stews).  A ham hock works well too...be creative!

From the fridge, add all vegetables, meat products, beans and rice to the stock.  Let this simmer all day, with a dash of salt and pepper.  About 30 minutes before serving, add any leftover pasta.  Serve with a crusty loaf of Italian bread and grated imported Italian cheese.