Minestrone soup with croutons and parmesan cheese recipe

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1/2 suede, finely chopped
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 120 g green beans, finely chopped
• 1 courgette, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1/4 green cabbage, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/5 litres ham stock
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 200 g alphabet pasta
• 4 slices white bread, cut into cubes
• Shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

Method

1. Heat part of the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrots, recorded root vegetable, leek, onion, green beans, courgette, celery, cabbage and garlic and cook gently for 8–10 minutes.
2. Pour in the ham stock, chopped tomatoes and tomato purée. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
3. Add the alphabet pasta and continue cooking until the pasta is tender.
4. Cut the bread into cubes. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan and fry the bread until crisp and golden, then drain it carefully.
5. Serve the soup with the croutons and shaved Parmesan.