Starters Recipes - Minestrone Soup Recipe

Drain the soaked beans and place in a saucepan. Cover with fresh water and bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes, then drain. Cover with fresh cold water, bring back to the boil and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.

Cook the soup pasta in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water until half done. Drain and reserve. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and turn to coat.

Cut the vegetables into 1cm/1/2in chunks or rounds as appropriate.

Put the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan and sweat the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the remaining vegetables, except the broccoli and French beans. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked.

Add the drained boriotti beans, season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, leave to cool and then refrigerate overnight.

To serve, reheat the soup gently, stirring in the half-cooked pasta, French beans and broccoli florets. Simmer for a final 5 minutes. Serve warm.