More Than Soup, A Meal In A Bowl

INGREDIENTS – serves four very hungry people or six to warm them up.

3 large rashers of bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large potato, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

100 grams green beans, chopped

1 400grams tin tomatoes

¼ small cabbage, shredded

½ cup black-eye beans, rinsed

100 grams tomato paste

1 litre of home-made veal or chicken stock or cheat using three beef stock cubes

½ cup of small pasta such as farfalline (small bows) anything will do

METHOD

Heat a large pot, add oil and sauté onion and garlic then add bacon, cook for another minute. Add all other ingredients except the pasta, mix together then add the hot stock and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for about an hour.

Season if necessary and 15 minutes before serving, add the pasta.
Serve in warm bowls topped with freshly grated parmesan and some pesto if you wish, crusty bread then pour of glass of sangiovese and enjoy.

Tip – if you want to make a big pot of this soup and freeze some to enjoy later, leave the pasta out. Pasta tends to go a bit gluggy when thawed. Once the soup has thawed out and is on the stove warming up, add the pasta as per instructions above.