This soup was inspired by a lovely recipe I found in Alice Waters' book, the Art of Simple Food. This is turning into a really great book to own. The hard cover and illustrations give the book a timeless feel, and the content ranges from practical recipes of all genres, to specific cooking techniques and recommendations for utensils and pantry staples. After owning the book for only a few weeks I find myself referencing it almost daily. Her recipes often give you the "bare bones" to make something simple and tasty (be it ice cream, crepes, a gratin or soup) followed by a few ideas to add variation. The following recipe is a riff on her minestrone soup. You want to cook the beans and the pasta separately, adding the beans toward the end (so they wont be overcooked). Waters also emphasizes the need to allow the flavors to fully develop between the addition of each ingredient. You will definitely want to taste along the way!
