Minestrone Soup, Vinny Testa's

By arthurlemay

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup great northern beans, or canned cannelloni beans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 fennel bulb, diced
• 2 stalks celery, minced
• 1 1/2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 summer squash, diced
• 2 cups mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2 cup tomato, peeled and diced
• 1 Romano cheese rind, from 3/4 pound piece, 1-inch thick
• 3 quarts vegetable stock
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup ditalini (small tubular pasta)
• salt and pepper to taste

Details

Servings 10
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 260mins

Preparation

Step 1

if you are using dry beans, the night before you plan to serve this soup, rinse and pick over the beans. Place in a large bowl and cover with 3 cups cold water. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain beans (discard soaking water), and rinse under cold water. Drain and transfer to a large saucepan. Add about 6 cups of cold water, partially cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, skimming as necessary, about 40 minutes, or until beans are tender. Uncover and set aside.

In a dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil. Add onion and saute over medium-low heat until golden, about 8 minutes. Add fennel, carrots and celery. Saute for about 4 minutes longer. Add green beans, zucchini, summer squash and mushrooms. Mix with a large spoon and cook about 4 minutes. Add tomato, cheese rind and 2 quarts vegetable stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Adjust heat and simmer gently, covered, for 2 hours.

Add potatoes and ditalini. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. If soup is getting too thick at any time, add more stock or some of the bean cooking liquid.

Drain beans, add to soup, cover and cook about 15 minutes longer. Remove cheese rind and season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot.