Homemade minestrone soup
Serves 8
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled, sliced
- 150g/5½oz streaky bacon, diced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped.
- 2 carrots, peeled, diced
- 2 potatoes, peeled, diced
- 1 litre/1 pint 15¼fl oz stock (veg or chicken)
- 30g/1oz tomato purée
- 400g/14 oz canned haricot beans, drained
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- handful chopped fresh parsley
- 400g/14 oz tomatoes, chopped (to serve)
- 100g/3½ oz spaghetti, broken into 2cm/1in pieces
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Grated or shavings of Parmesan cheese
Method
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion, bacon, celery, garlic and carrots for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
- Stir in the potatoes and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the stock and bring the mixture to the boil.
- Stir in the tomato purée and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the haricot beans, herbs, chopped tomatoes and spaghetti and continue to cook until the pasta is tender.
- Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- To serve sprinkle with chopped parsley and parmesan.