Minestrone
While minestrone is often cooked with a carbohydrate (pasta or rice), we prefer to add on the side the carb just before serving. Shaved Pecorino and chopped parsley make a lovely garnish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic lightly pounded
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 2 bell peppers dices
- 2 cups passata available in groceries (or substitute good quality tomato sauce)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 to 2 sprigs oregano stripped
- salt
- pepper
- 2 cups cubed carrots
- 3 to 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 3 to 4 garlicky sausages sliced into rings
- 2 cups cubes eggplants
- 2 cups cubed zucchini
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a small pan.
- Saute the garlic just until softened then add the onion, tomatoes and bell pepper, and continue sauteeing for a minute.
- Pour in the passata and about a cup of water.
- Taste. Add salt and pepper.
- Add the carrot, oregano and bay leaves. Stir.
- Add the cabbage, stir and simmer until the leaves are starting to soften, about 20 minutes.
- Throw in the sliced sausages, stir and simmer for a minute.
- Add the eggplants, stir and simmer for five minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini cubes and continue cooking for another five to ten minutes.
- Taste the broth. If too bland, add salt or pepper, or both, as needed.
- Serve your minestrone with pasta, rice or bread.