Minestrone Soup

Minestra Vedura - Vegetable Minestrone soup

Nonna's recipe for using leftover vegetables. 

One recommendation is to not add the pasta if you are planning to freeze some. Add the pasta when you are ready to serve it.

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic
• ½ cup onion chopped
• 2 stocks celery chopped
• 2 medium carrots diced
• 1 cup (0.24 l) potatoes diced
• 1 cup (0.24 l) curly cabbage, cut
• 1 cup (0.24 l) frozen peas
• 1 -8 oz (0.3 kg) can tomato sauce
• (or 1 -16 oz (0.6 kg) can of tomatoes whole)
• 3 beef bouillon cubes (You can use vegetarian stock or chicken stock)
• 1 cup (0.24 l) of pinto beans (cooked)
• 3 TBSP parsley
• 2 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dry marjoram
• ¼ tsp dry rosemary
• 7–8 cups of water
• 1 cup (0.24 l) uncooked dry pasta (usually small shells)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil, sauté celery, onion, garlic until tender, not brown.
2. Add carrots, potatoes, cabbage, pinto beans, tomatoes, peas and bouillon, parsley, salt, herbs, and water. 
3. Boil, then simmer 40 minutes. 
4. Add dry pasta, boil, simmer another 20 minutes or until pasta is done.

Don't forget plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 Photos by: Barbara Irias

Basilica of San Frediano, 

Lucca Italy, near Nonno Pacini's birthplace in 

Capannori, Tuscany, Italy.