Submitted by Mary Saylor of Altoona
1 pound navy or soup beans
1 pound kluski noodles or any thick noodle or mini pasta like farfali or shells
1 pound carrots-scraped or peeled, but crosswise into 1/2 rounds
12 cups water
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1 stick butter- not a butter substitute
2 teaspoons salt. More may be needed according to taste.
Cooking time: Two hours or as my mother would say: "The soup is ready when the soup is ready!"
Sort the beans, removing any discolored beans. In a large stockpot, cover with water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Return to stockpot.
Overnight soaking cuts cooking time, but is not necessary. Check package directions for other options.
Add the water to the drained beans. Add salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer until the beans are tender.
Add sliced carrots- bring back to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender. Do not overcook.
While soup is cooking, prepare noodles according to package directions. These may be prepared any time and refrigerated until ready to use.
Melt the butter in a skillet until foamy; do not allow butter to brown. Add the paprika and cook for two or three minutes until paprika is thoroughly mixed into the butter.
Bring the bean broth to a rolling boil and quickly add the paprika-butter, stirring in completely. Reduce heat to low. Add noodles at this time, heating until ready to serve. May be ladled over hot noodles in individual soup bowls.
