Pasta Soup with Beef, Tomatoes and Vegetables

Serves 4 to 6

It was so much fun cooking with my mother, especially in her later years when she lived with me. She, like I, loved looking through cookbooks and magazines for new recipes. The difference was that I usually have difficulty deciding which one to try next, while she was able to focus on a particular recipe. She always had me read it so we could collaborate on the changes we wanted to make. This quick, easy and delicious Italian-inspired soup is just one example of her many great discoveries.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef, such as sirloin
• 2 medium green peppers, coarsely chopped
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 to 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) whole tomatoes, crushed with fingers, with juices
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley leaves
• 2 cups uncooked elbows, small shells or similar pasta
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the ground beef. Sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces while cooking. Add the peppers and onions; season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan as they cook. Add the garlic and tomato paste and sauté another minute. Add the tomatoes, water, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley. Season again with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Bring back to a boil; add the pasta. Reduce again, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 8 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve, passing the cheese separately.