Ok so I’ve been watching the first season of Jersey Shore lately (don’t judge! It is outrageous, incomprehensible, and at times, completely hilarious…) and have had a good old-fashioned hankerin’ for some authentic Italian food.
So in my completely non-Italian way, I made minestrone. I don’t know whether it would pass muster with a proper Italian mama, but I sure like it. And I like the teensy star-shaped soup pasta I get to use even more. Topped with a big dollop of pesto and freshly grated parmesan, it’s a darn good soup. And since I don’t do chicken noodle, this is my go-to remedy for any illness. It’ll cure what ails ya!
Ingredients
Minestrone Soup
Olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
700g tomato passata
1 litre stock
1/2 teaspoon of basil, oregano and thyme (or the equivalent in mixed herbs)
2 bay leaves
1 zucchini, cut in half lengthways and sliced
handful of green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup peas
1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup soup pasta
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
pepper
fresh basil
Method
1. In a large stock pot, saute the onion, celery and carrot over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and saute another minute.
2. Add the passata, stock, herbs, bay leaf, vinegar, brown sugar and pasta. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer at least 20 minutes.
3. Five to 10 minutes before serving, throw in the zucchini, beans, peas and chickpeas.
4. Serve topped with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, torn fresh basil, pesto and a grinding of black pepper.
Fist pump!
Spectacular – my favourite soup ever! And I love the way you cut your little carrots…
But your food is not invalid, I think it is extremely valid.
Now, get me some wood-oven bread: stat!
That looks delicious… and I love the star shaped pasta! I always feel like a little kid again eating that stuff.
The stars are literally most of the reason I ever started making this soup in the first place!
Looks yummy, nothing better than a hearty soup in winter and best of all it's great for the next day… or longer if it doesn't all get eaten in the first round!
I had a great Minestrone recipe that I lost, so I'm gonna try this one!
Looks delish!
Mmm such a good winter dish 🙁
Great! I might try this dish next – I'm all for meals that will heal at the moment as we are one household of yucky colds… Hence the delay on my corn chowder!
But (drumroll!) the chowder is finally on the stove (this very minute!)
I'll let you know final result shortly…
Looking good so far, Gill x
Yummy!!! Thanks for sharing this.
Hi! Stopping by from Aussie Mummy Bloggers. Love your blog.
Have a nice day!
Yum! And look at those pretty pasta shapes
Love minestrone especially on a nice cold wintry day!
Thanks for all the love, guys and dolls!
Thanks for all the love, guys and dolls!
Yum! And look at those pretty pasta shapes
Great! I might try this dish next – I'm all for meals that will heal at the moment as we are one household of yucky colds… Hence the delay on my corn chowder!
But (drumroll!) the chowder is finally on the stove (this very minute!)
I'll let you know final result shortly…
Looking good so far, Gill x
That looks delicious… and I love the star shaped pasta! I always feel like a little kid again eating that stuff.