Beef Minestrone

Ingredients

• 800 g beef (e.g., shoulder)
• 1 onion
• 2 Bay leaves
• 0.5 tsp Peppercorns
• 3 cloves allspice
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 1 onion
• 1 Garlic clove
• 300 g Savoy Cabbage
• 1 stalk Celery
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 Carrot
• 180 g canned white beans
• 60 g bacon (e.g., pancetta)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 500 g canned peeled tomatoes
• 1 pinch saffron strands
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 150 g ditalini pasta
• 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. 1.

   Place the beef in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that forms. Peel and halve an onion, add it to the pot along with bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice; simmer gently for about 1½ hours.

2. 2.

   Remove the beef, strain the broth through a fine sieve, and skim off excess fat if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

3. 3.

   For the minestrone, peel and finely dice an onion and a garlic clove. Wash, trim, and slice the savoy cabbage into strips. Clean and cut celery into rounds. Wash, trim, halve, and slice the zucchini. Peel and thinly slice the carrot. Rinse the beans and drain well. Dice the bacon and sauté it in hot oil in a large pot. Briefly brown the onion and garlic cubes. Add celery, beans, and cabbage; deglaze with wine. Pour in the tomatoes and about 350 ml of beef broth. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Then add carrot, zucchini, saffron, thyme, and oregano; season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Dice the cooked beef into small cubes and return it to the pot, letting everything simmer quietly for another 5–10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.

4. 4.

   Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve on soup bowls or shallow plates, topped with pasta and a generous dusting of Parmesan cheese.