Tuscan Soup with Brassica Shoots
The secret to the depth of flavour comes from the addition of a thick slice of parmesan, traditionally this would have been the thick edge of the aged cheese that is too tough to eat but is still full of umami flavour to infuse the soup.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped, including the greens
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, gently squashed and left whole
- Small bunch of parsley, stalks and leaves chopped separately
- About 50g speck (smoked pork belly) or 4 rashers streaky bacon, diced
- 1 cup tomato passata
- 2 litres of vegetable or chicken stock
- 8 mm thick slice of parmesan cheese, about 30g
- 150 g spaghetti - broken into 5cm lengths
- OR 2-3 slices sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 400 g can cannellini beans, drained
- A large handful - about 250g of brassica shoots, silverbeet or Tuscan kale, shredded
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Start by setting a large pot over a low heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped onion. Begin to slowly saute while preparing the celery and carrots, adding to the pot as they are ready. If the vegetables begin to catch, add an extra splash of olive oil.
- Add the squashed garlic, parsley stalks and speck or bacon, and cook for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden and fragrant. Add the passata, stock and parmesan slice, and bring to a boil.
- Option one: Minestrone – once the stock comes to a boil, add the broken spaghetti and cannellini beans and cook for 8-10 minutes until the spaghetti is cooked. Add the greens and chopped parsley and cook for another 4-5 minutes, just until the greens are soft. Season to taste and serve with bread and olive oil.
- Option two: Ribollita – once the stock comes to boil, add the bread, cannellini beans, greens and chopped parsley and cook for 4-5 minutes until the greens are wilted. Drizzle with olive oil and serve in warmed bowls.