Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• 125 grbaconsmoked sliced finely thin
• 1 cankidney beanswashed drained (400gr / 14 oz.)
• 1 cancanned tomatoeschopped (400gr / 14 oz.)
• 3 carrotspeeled chopped finely
• 3 stalkscelerychopped finely
• 1 tbspthyme sprigsfresh
• 3 large clovesgarlicchopped finely
• 100 gr.5 oz. macaroni
• 100 gr.5 oz. macaroni
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 1 largeonionchopped finely
• 8 servingsparmesanfinely grated
• 8 servingssalt and pepperblack to taste
• 0.3 savoy cabbageshredded
• 2 tbsptomato purée
• 2 largetomatoeschopped
• 1.2 litervegetable stock

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a very large pan that has a close fitting lid. Then add the celery, bacon, onion, carrot and garlic. Fry this off for about 5 to 7 minutes until it has softened a little. No colour is needed on the vegetables, so make sure the heat isnt too high that they become brown, but high enough the vegetables sweat and soften.
2. Add the tomato pure and the thyme leaves, stir through and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the stock, the tin of tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, and a little salt and pepper. Stir everything through, set the heat so that your soup is on a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked al dente.
4. Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is ready. Follow the timing instructions on the packet, but this is normally about 7 minutes.
5. Add the cabbage and the beans and cook until the cabbage has wilted. This will take about 5 minutes.Check for seasoning and add some salt and pepper if needed before serving.
6. Sprinkle a little parmesan over each bowl of soup.