26.06.2011
This is my recipe for minestrone. Not too sure where I originally found the recipe but after years of cooking it, I think I have tweeked it to my version of it. It’s so easy and great for a cold winter’s night.
Minestrone meaning “the big soup,” or the one with many ingredients is the name for a variety of thick Italian soups made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes.
There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. It can be vegetarian, contain meat, or contain a meat-based broth (such as chicken stock). Angelo Pellegrini, however, argues that the base of minestrone is bean broth, and that Roman beans “are the beans to use for genuine minestrone”.
Minestrone is one of the cornerstones of Italian cuisine, and is almost as common as pasta on Italian tables.
Ingredients:
- 1 chorizo, chopped
- 2 gloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 4 potatoes, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 L beef stock, homemade or shop bought
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 can four bean mix
- 300g shaped pasta
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped basil
- Grated Parmesan
Heat some olive oil in a heavy based pan. Add chorizo and fry until slight crisp.
Add onions and garlic and fry until fragnant. Then add carrots and celery and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add stock, bay leaves and tomatoes then bring to boil.
Add bean mix, potatoes and pasta and cook until potatoes and pasta are cooked and al dente.
Add basil and parsley before serving. Serve in individual bowls and topped with grated parmesan.
It’s a very easy recipe with loads of leftovers. For a hint of heat, add a bit of chilli flakes and slices of fresh Italian bread to soak up the soup.
