Minestrone genovese
Ingredients
- 100ml fruity olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 1 medium leek, diced
- 1.5 litres water
- 400g tin borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 bunches of leafy winter greens (eg, cavolo nero, silverbeet, chicory or cime di rapa), picked, washed and sliced into 1cm strips
- 2 pieces parmesan rind, each about the size of your thumb
- 100g short pasta, risoni or ditalini are ideal
- Sea salt and pepper
Pesto:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- Sea salt
- 1 bunch basil, leaves picked
- 100ml fruity olive oil
- 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan
Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat for a minute, then add onion, carrot, celery and leek.
Cook about 10 minutes to soften vegetables, but do not let them colour.
Add water and beans; bring to a simmer.
Add shredded greens and stir until wilted. Add Parmesan rinds and simmer slowly for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make pesto: Preferably in a mortar and pestle, otherwise a food processor, make a puree by pounding together the garlic, pine nuts and a pinch of sea salt. Add basil to form a paste, then fold in olive oil and parmesan. Season to taste.
After soup has cooked for 1 hour, add pasta and cook a further 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper. If soup is very thick, add a glass of hot water.
Divide among 4 bowls and stir a tablespoon of pesto through each.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipes by Neil Perry, Qantas Creative Director - Food, Beverage & Service and Richard Purdue of Rosetta Sydney. Photography by Brent Winstone and styling by Vivien Walsh.Ingredients
- 100ml fruity olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 1 medium leek, diced
- 1.5 litres water
- 400g tin borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 bunches of leafy winter greens (eg, cavolo nero, silverbeet, chicory or cime di rapa), picked, washed and sliced into 1cm strips
- 2 pieces parmesan rind, each about the size of your thumb
- 100g short pasta, risoni or ditalini are ideal
- Sea salt and pepper
Pesto:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- Sea salt
- 1 bunch basil, leaves picked
- 100ml fruity olive oil
- 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan
Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat for a minute, then add onion, carrot, celery and leek.
Cook about 10 minutes to soften vegetables, but do not let them colour.
Add water and beans; bring to a simmer.
Add shredded greens and stir until wilted. Add Parmesan rinds and simmer slowly for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make pesto: Preferably in a mortar and pestle, otherwise a food processor, make a puree by pounding together the garlic, pine nuts and a pinch of sea salt. Add basil to form a paste, then fold in olive oil and parmesan. Season to taste.
After soup has cooked for 1 hour, add pasta and cook a further 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper. If soup is very thick, add a glass of hot water.
Divide among 4 bowls and stir a tablespoon of pesto through each.
Serve immediately.