Real Life Recipes

Quick & Easy Minestrone
As prepared by The Cook's Companion, Nadine Hughes, www.thecookscompanion.ca  


Quick And Easy Minestrone

Serves 6
Preparation Time:    15 minutes
Cooking time:         Less than 30 minutes
Notes:            This is a fast and healthy weekday meal that will get you and your family not only eating but enjoying their vegetables!  Use small fun shaped pasta like orechetti (shaped like little ears) or capeletti.  The soup will thicken considerably upon standing and is even better the next day.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
100g bacon, sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 zucchini, sliced
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
1 (425g) tin of crushed tomatoes
1 cup small pasta (small shells, orechetti or broken up spaghetti)
1 (400g) tin cannellini beans, drained
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
olive oil, to drizzle
2 tablespoons of grated parmesan
slices of ciabbata (Italian bread), to serve


Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add bacon and cook until golden. Add the vegetables and garlic, and sweat for a couple of minutes, until slightly softened.
Add stock, tomatoes, pasta and 3 cups water. Simmer, covered for 8 minutes.
Stir in the beans and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir through parsley and serve in bowls, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Serve with bread.