Pepato, Ham & Cannellini Bean Soup

Pepato, Ham & Cannellini Bean Soup    Serve 6-8 

Ingredients

• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 large celery stalks, cleaned and sliced
• 4 carrots peeled and cut bite size
• 6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped or smashed
• Few tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (2- to 3-pound) smoked ham bone, preferably with meat
• 8 ounces Locatelli Pepato Cheese, grated and then toss in the rind
• Sprig of Rosemary
• 12 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for serving
• 2 cans of La Squisita Cannellini beans with juice
• More grated pepato for serving with a crusty Italian bread

Directions

1. Cut 1 onion, celery stalks, and carrots into bite size pieces. Smash 6 garlic cloves. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add chopped vegetables and smashed garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Add ham bone, cheese rinds, rosemary, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally (to prevent cheese from sticking to bottom of pot), approx. 1 hr
2. Remove ham to cool and chop ham, put bone back in pot, add beans including juice, and broth, bring to a quick. Reduce heat to low; simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are creamy and tender and ham meat is tender 2-3 hrs on low
3. After a couple of hours take your immersion blender and quickly blend, pulsing all veggies, ham and cheese leaving a silky texture with small pieces of veggies and ham for texture.
4. Remove ham bone from soup and discard bone. Stir in a tablespoon or so more of cheese, pepato or pecorino Romano cheese until cheese is melted. Season to taste (I personally don’t think any salt is needed with the ham stock), top with fresh cracked pepper and serve hot with crispy bread.