Minestrone galore

Winter is good for of soup and minestrone. Here are some delicious recipes we are having in chilly misty time. They are healthy, tasty and easy to make. A good way to warm up your evenings.

Zuppa Toscana (soup from Tuscany)

You need: 200 g of cavolo nero, celery, carrot and onion, 2 tbsp. of tomato passata, olive oil, 200 g of borlotti beans, sliced bread, salt and pepper.

Boil the cavolo nero till cooked then cut it in pieces. Cook the borlotti beans as well in a litre of salted water and grind half of them. Grind the onion, celery and carrot in a blender and fry the mixture slightly in a pan with some olive oil. Add the cavolo nero, the borlotti plus water, salt and pepper, and finally the passata. Let it simmer for half an hour. In a large bowl put some slices of bread and two-three scoops of the broth, carry on adding layers of bread and scoops of soup. Serve the soup scooping the dunked bread in smaller bowls. You can add some olive oil if necessary.

Minestrone with fava beans

You need: a clove of garlic, celery, carrot, parsley, 250 g of dried fava beans, 2 tbsp. of passata, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Cook the fava beans in a pot with one litre of water and salt. Grind the garlic, celery, parsley and carrot in a blender and fry the mixture slightly in a pan with some olive oil. Add the fava beans and the water together with the passata, salt and pepper, and let it simmer for half an hour. You can serve it as it is or add some pasta, for example macaroni, and cook it for 10-15 more minutes.

Minestrone with spelled wheat

You need: 250 g of pearled spelt, carrot, celery and half an onion, two potatoes, 1 litre of stock, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary.

Grind the onion, celery and carrot in a blender and fry the mixture slightly in a pan with some olive oil. Peel and cut the potatoes in cubes, add it to the mixture then let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the stock and the spelt, thyme and rosemary, salt and pepper. Let it simmer for half an hour or till it is ready.

Soup with barley

You need: 250 g of pearl barley, onion, celery, carrot, 2 potatoes, 30 g of butter, salt and pepper, 1 litre of stock, some bay leaves, pancetta cubes.

Grind the onion, celery and carrot in a blender and fry the mixture slightly in a pan with the butter. Peel and cut the potatoes in cubes, add it to the mixture together with the pancetta cubes, then let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the stock and the barley, together with the bay leaves, salt and pepper. Let it simmer for half an hour or till it is ready.

Here is a poem by Lewis Carroll that can inspire your cooking:

BEAUTIFUL Soup, so rich and green,

Waiting in a hot tureen!

Who for such dainties would not stoop?

Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!

Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!

Beau- ootiful Soo-oop!

Beau- ootiful Soo-oop!

Soo- oop of the e- e- evening,

Beautiful, beautiful Soup!

Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish,

Game, or any other dish?

Who would not give all else for two

Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup?

Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup?

Beau- ootiful Soo-oop!

Beau- ootiful Soo-oop!

Soo- oop of the e- e- evening,

Beautiful, beauti- FUL SOUP!

Enjoy! 🍵😋