Sausage and Tortellini Soup (Palmabella's Passions)

Sausage and Tortellini Soup

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This is a hearty soup I made up, that is just delicious! It sort of tastes like "liquid lasagna".

(I made double this amount and had 2 extra large tubs to freeze.)

2 T. olive oil
1/2 half onion, chopped
1 c. carrots, sliced
3 oz. chopped pancetta
4 c. beef broth
6 c. chicken broth
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
8 oz. cheese tortellini
1 parmagiano rind (2x3") (optional)
a "handful" of shredded mozzarella

In a large soup pot, saute onion, carrots and pancetta in olive oil until onions are soft and pancetta is cooked. In a small bowl, whisk tomato paste with one cup of broth. Add beef and chicken stock, and broth with tomato paste to soup pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice sausage and cook in skillet until browned. Drain sausage well. Add sausage and parmigiano rind to soup and cook for 10 minutes. Add tortellini to soup and cook according to tortellini package directions. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with a sprinkle of parmigiano and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Serve at once.

***Cook's Note: I'm sure, if you like tomatoes, you could substitute a can of chopped, crushed tomatoes for the tomato paste. The tomato paste gave the soup a rich flavor and doesn't bother me like pieces of tomato do.