Ingredients

Method

• 4 T olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 leeks, roughly chopped
• 3 sticks celery, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3–5 Parmesan rinds
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1 x 70 g can tomato paste
• 1 x 410 g can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 x 410 g can butter beans
• 150 g orecchiette pasta, cooked
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 200 g kale, chopped
• Parmesan, shaved, for serving
• ciabatta, for serving

Method

Ingredients

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, leeks, celery, carrots, Parmesan rinds, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Sauté until soft and slightly golden.

2. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the butter beans and brine. Season and add the pasta and kale. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

3. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, Parmesan and ciabatta.

Cook's note: My trick for making the best minestrone is to use leftover Parmesan rinds. Sometimes the rinds don’t melt all the way and someone might find a piece, almost like a lucky charm!

Find more Italian recipes here.

Photographs: Jan Ras
Food assistant: Bianca Strydom