Minestra Bolognese | How To Warm Up On Chilly Spring Nights

Hard to believe it is Spring and still a chill in the air. One way to combat those chilly Spring nights is with a hot bowl of soup for dinner. besides being tasty, the best part is that they really are quick and easy to make, delicious and healthy. Serve with slices of crusty bread and you have a meal. here’s a recipe from my upcoming book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style.
Minestra Bolognese
1 lb (500 gr) speckled beans
½ lb (250 gr) fresh pasta-(short noodles)
1 medium potato
¼ cup (50 gr) plum tomatoes
1 garlic clove
½ onion
handful fresh parsley
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
fresh rosemary
freshly grated parmigiana reggiano cheese
Soak beans overnight, Cut celery, carrot, onion, in chunks, place them in cheesecloth. Put in with beans and boil for 30 minutes, remove cheesecloth with carrot, celery, onion. Place in potato with beans and cook for another 45 minutes. Drain and place in food processor.
In a sauce pan, make the sauce. Place in olive oil, heat,then place in chopped garlic,pinch of salt. When garlic is just about golden, add in tomatoes, chopped rosemary and chopped parsley. Saute for 15 minutes. Add in pureed beans. Bring to boil, add in fresh pasta and cook for 3 minutes or until pasta is done. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly grated parmigiana reggiano cheese
For more great recipes, get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions