|
Dominic’s Delights Minestrone  A great way to warm up and feed your hunger! An Italian Classic soup that should be served hot in winter and cool in summer. Serve with fresh Italian bread sticks drizzled with olive oil. It makes a pleasant soup during any season, using almost any fresh vegetables available. Ingredients: Five ounces dried white or red beans. Soak overnight and cooked until tender. Or simply 1 15 1/2 oz canned Red or White Beans added to broth with vegetables.
5 cups Vegetable Broth (chicken broth if non-vegetarian)
8 oz canned tomatoes, peeled and seeded
8 oz escarole, shredded
8 oz carrots, peeled, cubed
1 large potato, peeled and diced
8 oz string beans, cut in pieces
1 T chopped fresh parsley
salt to taste
3 T extra virgin olive oil, plus some in addition for serving
1 medium onion, peeled & coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
2 ribs celery, trimmed, coarsely chopped 4 ozs. drained/rinsed can of garbanzo beans
8 ounces small zucchini, scrubbed, cut in half, and sliced thinly
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
6 oz penne pasta, boiled and drained Baked Italian Bread Sticks
Sliced fresh basil to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste  A little TASTE along the way never hurts!
Preparation Bring broth to a boil in a soup kettle.
If using fresh beans add the beans and cook for 30 minutes prior to adding additional ingredients. If using canned, add with rest of fresh ingredients.
Puree the entire can of 8 ounces tomatoes in a blender.
Add to the cooked beans, along with escarole, carrots, potato, string beans, and parsley; add salt to taste.
Cook for 30 minutes.
Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and garlic on low heat until clear.
To same pan, add the celery, zucchini, and chopped tomato and cook for 15 minutes. Add to the bean mixture and simmer for 30 minutes.
In a separate pan while sautéing, cook the pasta until al dente, about 15 minutes, then drain.
Pour 2 cups cold water over pasta to stop the cooking process, and then drain again.
To serve hot, bring soup to a boil, add the pasta and serve at once.
To serve tepid, add pasta to the cooled soup and mix. Serve in individual bowls with chopped basil and grated Parmesan sprinkled sparingly in center of bowl as garnish.
Pass freshly grated Parmesan, olive oil, and a pepper mill. Serves 8-12
|
