Serves: 8
Total Calories: 277

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup warm water
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped fresh tomato or canned tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 cups homemade Meat Broth or Chicken Broth or a mix of half store-bought broth and half water
3 cups drained cooked dried or canned cannellini or great northern beans
1/2 cup medium-grain rice, such as Arborio
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 Soak the mushrooms in the water for 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Rinse the mushrooms under cold running water to remove any grit, paying special attention to the stems, where soil collects. Chop the mushrooms coarsely. Strain the mushroom liquid through a paper coffee filter into a bowl and reserve.

2 In a large pot, combine the mushrooms and their liquid, the carrots, celery, onion, tomato, parsley, and broth. Bring it to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

3 Add the beans and rice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the rice is tender, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot or warm.

From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 277
Calories from Fat: 39

More Recipes from the Cook'n in Italy Cookbook:
* Soups
Antonietta’s Bean Soup
Bean and Mushroom Soup
Bread Noodles in Broth
Chicken Broth
Chickpea Soup from Puglia
Chickpea and Pasta Soup
Chunky Fish Soup
Cooked Water Soup
Creamy Bean Soup
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Creamy Fennel Soup
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Egg Crepes in Broth
Egg Soup from Pavia
Escarole and Little Meatballs Soup
Fontina, Bread, and Cabbage Soup
Friulian Barley and Bean Soup
Green Bean and Sausage Soup
Leek, Tomato, and Bread Soup
Lentil and Fennel Soup
Lentil and Greens Soup
Ligurian Chickpea and Porcini Soup
Married Soup
Meat Broth
Milan-Style Pasta and Beans
Mushroom and Potato Soup
Mussels and Clams in Tomato Broth
Pasta and Beans
Pureed Lentil Soup with Croutons
Red Pepper Soup
Roman Egg Drop Soup
Seafood, Pasta, and Bean Soup
Semolina Fritters in Broth
Sicilian Tomato Barley Soup
Spinach, Lentil, and Rice Soup
Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup
Tuscan Fish Soup
Tyrolean Bread Dumplings
Vegetable Soup with Pesto
Winter Squash Soup
Zucchini Pesto Soup
Zucchini and Potato Soup
Zucchini and Tomato Soup