Amish Bean Soup

3 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of cooked navy beans
1/4 cup of water
3 quarts of milk (a little less for a thicker soup, experience will guide you)
Salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
A wee pinch of allspice
About 2 quarts of stale bread broken into small bits (again, experience will guide you)

Brown the butter in a soup pot. Add the beans and the water and bring to the boil.

Lower the heat to simmer and add the milk and the spices.

Simmer for a few minutes until everything is hot.

Stir in the bread, a little at a time, until the desired thickness is achieved.

When the soup is to your liking, cover the pot, lower the heat to very low, and let it slowly cook for 1/2 hour.

Serve the soup with pickled red beets on the side.