GPAC Lasagna soup

This is no diet soup. You've been warned. It is however, SO. VERY. GOOD.The soup has a ricotta "filling" and mozzerella topping. It is good with one of these additions, or both. It's even good with no added cheese. The ricotta filling is so ooey, goooey and it just makes the soup more like a lasagna. 

Use any short pasta you like. If you are serving it all at once, cook the pasta in the soup. The broth will seep into the pasta. I like to cook the pasta separate because I don't like mushy pasta. The longer it sits in hot broth the softer it gets.

If you don't have pancetta- use a few pieces of bacon. Or leave it out all together. Same with the pepperoni.

GPAC Lasagna soup
1/4 cup pancetta, cubed

1 pound Italian sausage- out of casings

1/4 cup pepperoni chopped- I had sliced pepperoni on hand so I cut it into strips

1 large onion chopped

1 small bell pepper chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

5 tablespoons tomato paste

28 ounce can of diced/chopped tomatoes

6 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup fresh chopped basil leaves 

salt and pepper 

Ricotta "filling"

1 tub (8 ounces) ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound of short pasta- cooked al dente

Shredded mozzarella and chopped basil for topping.

Brown the sausage in a pot.
Remove the browned sausage, drain the fat and discard.
Add the pancetta to the pot, cook until it renders fat, add the garlic, red pepper flakes. Add the pepperoni, onion, and bell pepper. Cook until crisp tender- don't over cook the vegetables, they will cook more during the simmering.
Add remaining ingredients for the soup, except the fresh basil and pasta. Bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Season the soup to taste.  Remove the bay leaves before serving.

 
Stir all the ingredients for the ricotta filling together, set it aside.

To serve, stir the fresh basil into the soup. Scoop some ricotta filling in the the bottom of oven safe bowls. Top with pasta, ladle the soup over everything. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Place the bowls under the broiler to melt the cheese. (Watch your bowls carefully- you don't want them to break!)

GPAC Lasagna soup
1/4 cup pancetta, cubed

1 pound Italian sausage- out of casings

1/4 cup pepperoni chopped- I had sliced pepperoni on hand so I cut it into strips

1 large onion chopped

1 small bell pepper chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

5 tablespoons tomato paste

28 ounce can of diced/chopped tomatoes

6 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup fresh chopped basil leaves 

salt and pepper 

Ricotta "filling"

1 tub (8 ounces) ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound of short pasta- cooked al dente

Shredded mozzarella and chopped basil for topping.

For the soup-
Brown the sausage in a pot.
Remove the browned sausage, drain the fat and discard.
Add the pancetta to the pot, cook until it renders fat, add the garlic, red pepper flakes. Add the pepperoni, onion, and bell pepper. Cook until crisp tender- don't over cook the vegetables, they will cook more during the simmering.
Add remaining ingredients for the soup, except the fresh basil. Bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Season the soup to taste. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

For the "filling"-
Stir all the ingredients for the ricotta filling together, set it aside.

To serve- Stir the fresh basil into the soup. Scoop some ricotta filling in the the bottom of oven safe bowls. Top with pasta, ladle the soup over everything. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Place the bowls under the broiler to melt the cheese. (Watch your bowls carefully- you don't want them to break!)