Italian Bean Soup with Mini-Meatballs.  I intentionally did not call this a recipe for Pasta e fagioli, although it was clearly my inspiration.  Pasta e fagioli is traditionally a meatless dish, comprised of pasta and beans in a tomato base.  When I did my standard recipe research I had a hard time avoiding the bazillion copycat recipes for Olive Garden’s Pasta e fagioli.  We may be the only family I know who has not had a bowl of Olive Garden’s Pasta e fagioli.  I’m sure it’s delicious but I chose not to compete with the masses.