Minestrone with Pistou Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 Handfuls Basil
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 30 g Pecorino cheese
• 50 ml olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• grated pecorino (for garnish)
• 200 g waxy potatoes
• 150 g green beans
• 1 small stalk leek
• 2 stalks celery
• 100 g broccoli florets
• 150 g short tube pasta
• Salt
• pepper (ground)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water.

2. 2.

   For the soup, peel and finely dice the onion. Cut the ham slices into small pieces. Sauté both in hot oil until translucent, then add broth. Drain the soaked beans and add them with bay leaves to the broth. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile wash, peel, and cube the carrots and potatoes into ~2 cm pieces. Wash, trim, and cut the green beans into pieces. Wash, trim, and slice the leek and celery into ~1 cm rings. Add everything to the soup and simmer for another ~10 minutes. In the meantime rinse the broccoli. Add the pasta to the minestrone and cook 5-8 minutes.

3. 3.

   For the pistou, rinse the basil, shake dry, and pluck the leaves. Peel the garlic. Roughly cube the pecorino. Blend the basil with the garlic and cheese finely, pouring in the olive oil until a creamy sauce forms. Season with salt and pepper.

4. 4.

   Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve into bowls. Dollop each bowl with pistou, garnish with grated pecorino, and serve.