Gambardella's Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry cannellini or Great Northern beans
• 1/2 cup dry red kidney beans
• 1/2 cup dry garbanzo beans
• 1/2 cup dry lentils
• 1/4 cup dry split peas
• 1 small white potato, peeled and diced
• 4 or 5 cups chicken or beef broth
• 2 (16 ounce) packages frozen Italian vegetables
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 3 large stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium bulb fennel, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley stems, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh ripe tomatoes, diced, or peeled and diced canned tomatoes
• Cooked pasta or rice

Instructions

1. Soak the cannellini, kidney and garbanzo beans, lentils and peas in lots of water to cover overnight. The next day, cook in 3 cups water 20 minutes; skim the foam from the top. Do not drain.
2. Simmer the potatoes in 1 cup broth for 15 minutes; set aside. (Do not drain either preparation.)
3. In a heavy-bottom 8 quart pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery and fennel; sauté until the onions are golden. Add the basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, fennel seeds, salt and pepper; add simmered beans, undrained potato and vegetables, and tomatoes. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little more broth if needed.
4. Serve over pasta or rice.