Minestrone soup

 Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

SERVES 

• 2 tbsp olive oil                       
• 55 g/2 oz rindless pancetta or
• lean bacon, diced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 225 g/8 oz dried cannellini
• beans, soaked overnight in
• cold water to cover
• 400 g/14 oz canned chopped
• tomatoes
• 2 liters /64 fl oz beef stock
• 350 g/ 12 oz potatoes, diced
• 175 g/6 oz dried pepe bucato ,
• macaroni or 'other soup pasta shapes
• 175 g/6 02 green beans, sliced
  
• 115 g/4 02 fresh or frozen
• peas
• 225 g/8 oz savoy cabbage,
• shredded
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf
• parsley
• salt and pepper
• fresh Parmesan cheese
• shavings, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based

    saucepan. Add the pancetta, onions and garlic

    and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

2. Add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring

    occasionally, for a further 5 minutes, or until

    all the vegetables are softened.

3. Drain the soaked beans and add them to

    the pan with the tomatoes and their can juices

    and the beef stock. Bring to the boil, then

    reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

4. Add the potatoes, re-cover, and cook for

    15 minutes, then add the pasta, green beans,

    peas, cabbage and parsley. Cover and cook

    for a further 15 minutes, or until all the

    vegetables are tender. Season with salt and

    pepper. Ladle the soup into warmed soup

    bowls and serve immediately with Parmesan

    cheese shavings.