Ingredients: 3 Tbs olive oil
5 oz (150 g) fresh belly of pork
2 oz (50 g) fatty bacon
1 Tbs chopped onions
1 Tbs flat-leaved parsley, finely
chopped
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
2 sticks celery
2 carrots
3 mealy potatoes
2 zucchini
1 lb (500 g) tomatoes
1 Tbs basil, roughly chopped
8 oz (250 g) borlotti beans, shelled
1 small savoy cabbage
8 oz (250 g) freshly-shelled peas
5 oz (150 g) arborio or vialone rice
2½ oz (60 g) grated Parmesan
Salt
Preparation:
- Heat up the oil in a large soup saucepan.
- Gently fry the belly of pork, bacon, onion, parsley, and garlic in the oil.
- Wash and peel the celery, carrots and potatoes, and chop the vegetables.
- Wash and cube the zucchini, skin and de-seed the tomatoes and cut into small pieces.
- Add the vegetables, basil and beans to the saucepan and cover with 10 cups of water.
- Cover and leave to simmer for 2 hours.
- Wash the cabbage and cut into thin strips.
- Add with the peas to the saucepan; 15 minutes later, add the rice.
- Simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
- Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt.
- Minestrone is eaten hot, but can be served lukewarm in the summer.
- A chilled Soave or Pinot grigio would go well with this dish.
