Spoon about 1/2 cup of beans into a small bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Set aside.

Heat a medium heavyweight saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage, breaking up the meat with a spoon while it cooks. Cook until sausage is browned, 10-15 minutes, Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a bowl, leaving the residual fat in the pan.

Add fennel and carrot and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and Italian herbs and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes and stir until starting to simmer, about 5 minutes. Add beans and reserved liquid, mashed beans, chicken broth, and sausage. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the broth to thicken slightly.

Add ditalini pasta and simmer for about 8 minutes or until almost al-dente. Season to taste with salt and pepper (if your broth/tomatoes were salted you probably won't need any additional salt, taste it first and decide).

Spoon into serving bowls. Top generously with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese and serve hot.