This is one of my favorite soup recipes; when made thicker, it resembles a stew more than a soup. The recipe is adapted from My Italy.
- 200 g dried beans, soaked overnight
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tomato, lightly crushed
- 1 potato, peeled
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
- 4 slices of smoked pancetta, cut into strips
- 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- a bunch of fresh basil
- 500–700 g canned tomatoes in their juice
- 1 zucchini or eggplant, diced
- a quarter head of broccoli or cauliflower, finely chopped
- 200 g chopped spinach
- 600 ml stock (meat or mushroom)
- 60 g dried pasta
Place the soaked beans in a pot with water, add the bay leaf, tomato, and potato, and cook until the beans are tender. Once the beans are ready, discard the potato and tomato.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil and sauté the pancetta, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and basil stems. Cook the mixture over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, zucchini, or eggplant, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
To the pot, add spinach, pour in the stock, and mix in the beans and broccoli. Stir in the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Place the soaked beans in a pot with water, add the bay leaf, tomato, and potato, and cook until the beans are tender. Once the beans are ready, discard the potato and tomato.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil and sauté the pancetta, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and basil stems. Cook the mixture over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, zucchini, or eggplant, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
To the pot, add spinach, pour in the stock, and mix in the beans and broccoli. Stir in the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
