Name: Minestrone
Yield: Serves 8-10
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: Pesto alla Genovese, optional; 4 oz (100 g) unsmoked streaky bacon, cut into matchsticks; 2 carrots, diced finely; 2 medium-size onions, sliced finely; 5 tablespoons (5 X 15 ml spoon) olive oil; 2 teaspoons (2 X 5 ml spoon) salt; 3 oz (75 g) freshly grated parmesan (or mature Cheddar) cheese; 2 tablespoons (2 X 15 ml spoon) chopped parsley or Pesto alia Genovese; 4 oz (100 g) small macaroni or other small pasta; freshly ground black pepper; 12 oz (350 g) courgettes, washed and diced; 8 oz (225 g) fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled and quartered; the rind from a piece of parmesan cheese (optional); 12 oz (350 g) french beans, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths; 3 pints (1.7 litres) chicken or meat stock, home-made or made with water and 3 stock cubes; 14½ oz (420 g) can of chick-peas or haricot beans; 1 tablespoon (15 ml spoon) chopped fresh sage or 1½ teaspoons (3 X 2.5 ml spoon) dried sage; 1 stick of celery with leaves, chopped finely; 2 medium-size potatoes, peeled and diced; 2 leeks, washed well and cut into thin rounds

Preparation info

Serves
8-10

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Pasta Italian Style

By Patricia Lousada

Published 1991

About

Every Italian restaurant and home has its own recipe for this versatile and hearty soup. This is my own favourite, but I must confess that I often add or leave things out according to what I find in my fridge. I enjoy the variations and they are all equally successful — Minestrone gives you the chance to try out your own ideas.

Ingredients

Basic recipe

Pesto alla Genovese, optional

Method

In a very large saucepan heat the oil and sauté the onions, carrots, bacon, celery and sage until they just begin to colour. Add the potatoes and leeks and stir to coat with oil. Add the tomatoes, courgettes, french beans and cheese rind (if used), and then the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for at least 2 hours. Then add the chick-peas or haricot beans with their liquid, and the se

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Minestrone

Ingredients

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