Minestrone Soup
I call this Minestrone but if I had a zucchini around, that would have gone in too. You can use any variety of vegetables, but the base of the soup involves beans (I used chickpeas), a tomato broth and small pasta, usually ditalini or shells.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1-2 cups crushed tomatoes, I used canned cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 2 cups chick peas or cannellini beans
- 1 cup chopped cooked green beans
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups cooked ditalini pasta (or any small pasta such as small shells or elbows)
- Grated Pecorino Romano cheese for serving
Directions
In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil and saute chopped onion, carrots and celery for a few moments. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for one more minute. Add tomatoes, paste, stock, oregano and basil and let simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are soft.
Meanwhile, put a pot of water on the stove to boil and cook the ditalini to al dente if you haven't already. Add the peas and beans to the soup pot and let cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and add the pasta.
Serve piping hot with sliced, shredded or grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiana Reggiano cheese.
