MINESTRONE SOUP

Every nation in the world has its own "bida food", which is a dish during which you can throw almost anything into the pot, if there is a lot, tasty and filling. This soup comes from Italy and there is no one right recipe for it, which means that everyone can make it their own way. It's important to use seasonal vegetables and herbs so you don't regret the oil and Parmesan cheese, and put a lot of pasta into the pot. After all, it's Italian soup. The upside is that it's a great idea to use the leftover pasta and stale bread in the packages. Yes Yes! Stale bread is also welcome here. This soup can be rare and even dietetic, or, if you try a little, it can turn into a thick stew that you can feed a hungry army regiment. It all depends on your creativity. Perfect for autumn of course.

The recipe I'm giving you today is an attempt to recreate the minestrone soup we ordered in a tiny eatery in San Gimignano, Tuscany. It is a beautiful, medieval town, which is known for the best ice cream in the world. I subscribe to this opinion. We returned to this ice cream several times.

What did we do in San Gimignano?

We went there by motorhome, which we went on a trip around Tuscany, with our two kids, one spring. It was a really fantastic trip, and food is most remembered from Italy. It's not hard for good! Even in tiny, roadside pubs.

     

Here you can read and view photos from our trip:
- EVERYTHING EVER AND RIDE THE CAMPER IN THE WORLD
- AFTERNOON IN VENICE
- BREAKFAST IN THE MIST

All right, now let's get back to the soup.

MINESTRONE SOUP - RECIPE

- 4 potatoes
- 2 carrots
- small zucchini
- one small leek
- 1/4 cabbage
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 can of tomatoes
- a glass of tomato passata
- thyme
- salt, pepper
- pasta leftovers
- a few spoons Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- stale bread (optional)
- fresh basil
- big pot
- water

MINESTRONE SOUP - PREPARATION

First - traditionally - prepare everything for yourself.
Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes.
Dice the zucchini (pitted, skinned)
Peel the carrots and cut them into slices.
Peel the garlic.
Cut the celery into slices.
Chop the onion finely.
Chop the cabbage.
Leek cut into feathers.

Heat all the oil in a large pot. Put the onion in it first. Give her a moment, let her fuse.
Then add the garlic and make sure that it doesn't burn, mix it with the onions.
After a few minutes add carrots, cabbage, celery and leek. Mix everything and cook for about 7 minutes.
Then add potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, passata, a teaspoon of thyme, two bay leaves, a tablespoon of salt and a pinch of pepper.
Mix everything.

Pour the vegetables over with water. The amount of water depends on the size of the pot, but there is to be a lot of it. The vegetables are to boil until soft, aromatic broth is to be formed, and some water should evaporate so that the soup is finally quite thick.
Let the picture above be a clue.

Cook the soup under cover for about an hour. Add water if necessary and season at the end.
Time for pasta. You can use different types of pasta that are in your cabinets and cook them in salted al dente water, and then add to the soup. You can also serve pasta just before pouring the soup into the bowl. Just like slices of stale bread. Just place them on top of the steaming soup bowl and give them a moment to absorb some liquid. This stale bread will make a soup thickener.

I forgot about Parmesan cheese! Throw it into the whole pot of soup and sprinkle it with a portion of soup that you will give someone.
Finally, chopped basil leaves, a few drops of oil and finito

Eat health and warm up a bit this autumn afternoon.