Minestrone

A thick classic Italian soup - toss in whatever vegetable is in season or whatever is leftover in the refrigerator, add broken bits of pasta or rice, beans, tomatoes (if you wish since it is not really the part of the original recipe), water or stock.... whatever... and you can be sure you will land up with a delicious concoction that does not cost much, but makes a hearty meal.

Ingredients: ( recipe can be tweaked to suit individual tastes) - Serves 4

Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Onion  -1
Carrots - 2 chop
Celery sticks - 3 chopped
Garlic cloves - 2 finely chopped
Tomato -1 large - chopped ( optional)
1 can of 400 g chopped tomatoes
Water/ stock of your choice ( I added vegetable) - 1.2 litres
Cannelini beans ( I added chickpea) - 400 g  - already cooked
Dried pasta - broken - sphaghetti/ macaroni - 100 g
Cabbage - shredded finely - a fistful
Salt and Pepper
Other herbs ( optional) - I added Italian herb seasonning
Basil leaves - few
Parmesan Cheese - garnish.


Take a deep saucepan with a lid
Heat the olive oil, add the onions, carrots, celery.  Season with little salt and pepper.  Cook a while , stirring till the vegetables soften a bit.
Add the garlic, fry a minute
Stir in tomato and cook for another 3-4 minutes
Add the chopped tomatoes and stock.  Cover with lid, bring to boil slowly
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes
Add the pasta and beans and cook till pasta is al dente
Add cabbage , cook another two minutes.
If soup is too thick, add some hot water
Season with salt and pepper
Put in some torn basil leaves.  Garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Note-
Vegetables and Pasta should be al dente
Add whatever vegetables are available
Tomato is optional.  Some do not add it at all
Rice may be added instead of dried pasta
Broken pasta is generally added.
Potato can be added
Shredded spinach is another option
And non vegetarians can add shredded meat of their choice.