Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with Fresh Basil

I posted this recipe a few years ago and was recently  drawn back to it when family friends needed a meal for their fridge.  I LOVE to make this soup-its just fun.  So many LAYERS OF FLAVOR... it makes your home smell  amazing.  Garlic, tomatoes, fresh basil....how can you go wrong?  I used San Marzano tomatoes this time. As the most famous plum tomato for making sauce, the San Marzano is preferred by gourmet chefs and cooks all over the world. In Italy and elsewhere in Europe, they are a household name.

So get  your opera on and...  "Mangia bene, vivi felice". 

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 cup water
• 1cup red wine
• 1 lb. grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 tsp.dried oregano
• 1 -28 ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes, crushed and pushed through a sieve
• 8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley and MORE BASIL if desired
• Parmesan or Asiago cheese for garnish

Directions

1. In a 5 quart Dutch oven, CRUMBLE and brown sausage. 
2. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
3. Saute onions and garlic in drippings. 
4. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. 
5. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Stir in parsley and tortellini during the last 10 minutes. 
7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.