Italian Sausage Soup
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine
4 large tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
In a 5 quart. Dutch oven, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 Tablespoon of drippings. Saute onions and garlic in drippings. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 min. Skim fat from the soup. Stir in zucchini, tortellini, and parsley. If the tortellini are fresh, add them in the last 10 min of simmering. Simmer covered for 30 min. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.