Vegetable Soup with Fennel and Pine-Nut Toasts – Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 large bulbs fennel—quartered, cored and coarsely chopped, fronds reserved for garnish
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery with leafy tops,thinly sliced on an angle
• 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on an angle
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• Two containers chicken broth (32-ounce), (8 cups)
• 1/2 pound egg noodles
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, split
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel