Ingredients
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4 raw sweet Italian sausages
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1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
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1 tbsp olive oil
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4 cups prepared tomato soup
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2 cups mini pasta shells
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1 fennel bulb
Steps
1
Remove sausage from casings. Mix the fennel seeds with the sausage meat and form into balls the size of a large marble. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook the meatballs over medium heat for 4 min. or until golden brown. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside.
2
Remove any excess oil from the pot, then add the tomato soup and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook over medium heat for 3 min.
3
While pasta cooks, slice a small piece off the bottom of the fennel bulb and remove the green top. (Reserve the greens as a garnish.) Halve the fennel bulb, cut out the core, and cut the fennel into thin slices.
4
Add the meatballs and fennel to the soup and simmer for 3 min. or until the pasta is al dente. Divide the soup among 6 bowls and garnish with the fennel greens.
