Green Minestrone

By á-170456

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 slices pancetta chopped (or 1/4 lb thick-cut prosciutto)
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves crushed
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
• 1 can white cannellini beans
• 1 can garbanzo beans (ceci)
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 8 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1 cup ditalini pasta or mini penne pasta
• 1/2 pound green beans trimmed, and cut into 1" pieces
• 10 ounces triple washed spinach stems removed, and coarsely chopped (or any other dark greens)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano plus
• extra to pass at the table
• 12 fresh basil leaves - (to 16) torn or shredded (or 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Heat a soup pot over medium high heat. Add oil and pancetta or prosciutto. Saute 2 minutes and add onions, celery, garlic, zucchini and bay to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, to your taste. Saute vegetables 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add white beans, garbanzo beans and chicken broth to the pot. Cover soup and bring to a boil. Add pasta and green beans to the soup and cook 8 minutes, or until pasta is just tender.

Stir in spinach to wilt, 1 minute. Stir in grated cheese and ladle soup into bowls. Top soup with torn or shredded basil or chopped parsley.

This recipe yields 4 servings.