The Screaming Saucepan

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 med. yellow onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 med. fresh peeled tomatoes (see instructions for Peeling Tomatoes) cut in half
• 12 large carrots (quartered)
• 6 potatoes (quartered)
• 12 mushrooms (halved)
• 12 large celery stalks (quartered)
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 lb. Ditalini pasta

Preparation

Soup Base

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup water into large (approx. 5 quart) saucepan. Add one half of the chopped onions and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Avoid browning the onions!

Vegetable Broth

Remove saucepan, add tomatoes and fill 1/4 of the way with water. Add 1/2 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes, celery, mushrooms, another 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper, then fill saucepan 3/4 of the way up with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer on low to medium heat for about 2 hours, adding water if necessary as the soup boils down, stirring occasionally.

Beef

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil and the rest of the chopped onions into a large skillet. Simmer for a couple of minutes on medium heat, once again avoiding browning the onions. Add ground beef, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper. Continue simmering on medium heat stirring frequently until beef is cooked evenly.

For best results, cook pasta al-dente. Keep pasta, beef and soup separate and only mix together on a per serving basis. You can satisfy the vegetarians in the house by simply leaving the beef out. Store in individual plastic or glass containers and refrigerate or freeze.