I mentioned in a cooking discussion on the CB that there was a deli by my house that had wonderful sausage tortellini soup. The woman who owned the store, G-d rest her soul, died before I ever got up enough nerve to ask for the recipe.
I spent countless nights thinking about this soup, and trying to figure out how I could try to replicate it. One day, I thought I had figured it out. This is my recipe and I must say, it does taste very much like Marie's did.
Sausage Tortellini Soup
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. carrots
1 celery stalk
1 anise bulb
2 medium onions
1 lb good Italian sausage (I like hot sausage, but sweet will work well, too.)
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
4 cans chicken broth
2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 Tbsp. sweet basil
1 lb tortellini
Mince your garlic and cube the carrots, celery, anise and onion. Sauté these ingredients in a soup pot with the olive oil until the onions are translucent and the carrots begin to soften. Remove them from the heat and brown the sausage. I use either ground sausage or I remove the meat from its casing.
Add the carrot and celery mixture back to the pot. Add can of crushed tomatoes. You can also add a can of diced tomatoes, if you wish. Add chicken broth and seasonings and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
Cook tortellini separately and add to soup prior to serving. I cook the tortellini separately because it absorbs so much of the broth. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
This soup serves well with crusty Italian bread and some grated cheese.
Enjoy!
I spent countless nights thinking about this soup, and trying to figure out how I could try to replicate it. One day, I thought I had figured it out. This is my recipe and I must say, it does taste very much like Marie's did.
Sausage Tortellini Soup
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. carrots
1 celery stalk
1 anise bulb
2 medium onions
1 lb good Italian sausage (I like hot sausage, but sweet will work well, too.)
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
4 cans chicken broth
2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 Tbsp. sweet basil
1 lb tortellini
Mince your garlic and cube the carrots, celery, anise and onion. Sauté these ingredients in a soup pot with the olive oil until the onions are translucent and the carrots begin to soften. Remove them from the heat and brown the sausage. I use either ground sausage or I remove the meat from its casing.
Add the carrot and celery mixture back to the pot. Add can of crushed tomatoes. You can also add a can of diced tomatoes, if you wish. Add chicken broth and seasonings and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
Cook tortellini separately and add to soup prior to serving. I cook the tortellini separately because it absorbs so much of the broth. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
This soup serves well with crusty Italian bread and some grated cheese.
Enjoy!
