Minestrone

Ingredients

• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1onion, finely diced
• 2carrots, finely diced
• 3 stickcelery, finely diced
• 3 clovegarlic, sliced
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 14 ozchopped tomatoes, one can
• 1 1/2 quartsvegetable stock
• 1zucchini, diced
• 5 1/4 ozgreen beans, cut into short lengths
• 8 1/2 ozcannellini beans, one 400g can, drained and rinsed
• 4 1/4 ozsmall pasta, ditalini or broken spaghetti
• 5 1/4 ozsavoy cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 ozfresh basil, leaves torn
• 1 1/2 tspsea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tspblack pepper

Method

1. 1

   Warm the olive oil in a large pot over a medium-low heat and add the onion, carrot and celery with half a teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until everything has softened and lost its raw edge. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

2. 2

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for a minute until it darkens, then add the canned tomatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the zucchini, green beans and cannellini beans and simmer for 8 minutes, then add the pasta and cabbage and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta is just short of done.

4. 4

   Taste and add the rest of the salt and the pepper. Take the pot off the heat, stir through the torn basil and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.