VEGETABLE SOUP (MINESTRA DI VERDURE - MINESTRONE)
4-6
EASY
PREP TIME
20 MINS
COOK TIME
30 MINS
TOTAL TIME
50 MINS
RECIPE PROVIDED BY
Zia Lucia
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INGREDIENTS
- 4 tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for cooking
- Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for pouring when serving
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 stalks and tops of celery diced
- Approx 250g pancetta diced (can use: lardons, bacon or ham)
- 2 Potatoes diced
- 3 Carrots diced
- 3 Courgettes diced
- 3 Large peppers diced
- 1 large aubergine diced
- 6 large tomatoes or 1 tin of plum tomatoes chopped
- 1 cabbage or greens diced
- Water/stock to cover
- If possible, the rind of a chunk of parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 200g grated parmesan cheese
- 250g-400g pastina (or any pasta of choice)
INTRODUCTION
A minestrone soup is known throughout the world. Like so many classic dishes, there are practically as many minestrone recipes as there are minestrone cooks! It is a wonderful soup that can be eaten all year round - its component ingredients changing with the seasons.
Some people love it natural, with just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some add grains o rpasta, some eat it cold and some eat it hot with a slice of toasted bread at the bottom of the dish. A well-made minestrone always allows for variety. It’s the ideal a comfort food when you want a hot light meal at the end of the day.
This is our family’s recipe given to me by Auntie Lucia and includes pancetta (which can be omitted if cooking for vegetarians) and shell shaped pastina (little pasta). Do vary the vegetables to suit your taste and season.
METHOD
Preparing the vegetables
- Clean and chop all your chosen vegetables.
- Chop to roughly the same size.
- Set aside in separate bowls (as they cook at different speed)
Making the soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat
- When warm, add the chopped onions, Pancetta/lardons and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Then add the chopped potato and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped courgettes, peppers, aubergines and give them a good stir.
- Now add the chopped fresh or tinned tomatoes, the rind of the parmesan cheese and the water/stock, a little salt and pepper and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, add the cabbage, cover and let it simmer for about 30 -40 minutes, until all the vegetables are cooked.
- In a separate saucepan, cook your chosen pasta/pastina until ‘al dente’ (that means with a bit of a bite to it!) and set aside.
- Grate your parmesan cheese ready for serving.
Serving the soup
- To individual bowls, add your cooked pasta
- Ladle into the bowl, the minestrone.
- Top with grated parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper.
- In Puglia and especially in our family, we always drizzle our extra-virgin olive oil over the top – it gives it an incredible flavour!
Buon appetito!
Top tips:
- Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.
- Adjust the vegetables to suit you and the season.
- This will keep in the fridge for 3 days and will taste even better!
Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.
