Minestrone with Pesto Sauce
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Minestrone means "thick soup" in Italian. This one is a Genovese-style, which means it's served with pesto sauce.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried white Navy beans, Great Northern
2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans condensed chicken broth
Salt
1 small head cabbage
4 carrots
2 medium potatoes
1 (1-pound) can Italian-style tomatoes
2 medium onions
1/4 cup olive oil
1 stalk celery
2 zucchini
1 large fresh tomato
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup broken-up thin spaghettiPESTO SAUCE
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped pine nuts or walnutsThe day before, in a bowl, cover beans with cold water. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Next day, drain.
Turn chicken broth into a 1-quart measure; add water to make 1 quart. Pour into a 8-quart kettle with 2 more quarts water, 2 teaspoons salt, and the beans.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat; simmer, covered, 1 hour.
Meanwhile, wash cabbage, and quarter; remove core with a sharp knife; slice each quarter thinly. Pare carrots; slice on diagonal, 1/4-inch thick. Pare potates, slice 1/2-inch thick, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Add to soup with canned tomatoes. Cover, cook 1/2 hour longer.
Meanwhile, peel onions; cut in half, slice thinly. In 1/4 cup hot oil in medium skillet, sauté onion, stirring, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Slice celery, on diagongal, 1/4-inch thick. Wash zucchini, slice into rounds 1/4-inch thick. Peel tomato. Hold tomato on fork over heat just to split skin; peel with knife. Slice 1/2-inch thick; cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Press 1 clove garlic.
Add vegetables to onion with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Cook slowly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Add to bean mixture with 1/4 cup parsley and the spaghetti. Cook slowly, covered, and stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
MAKE PESTO SAUCE - Cream ingredients in bowl with spoon or with mortar and pestle. Blend butter with Parmesan, parsley, crushed garlic, basil and marjoram. Gradually add oil, beating constantly. Add pine nuts, and mix well.
Serve soup hot, topped with spoonful of pesto sauce.
Makes 10 servings