Minestrone

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• canola oil or olive oil, for cooking
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 lb pancetta or 1/4 lb bacon, diced
• 4 cups chicken stock or 4 cups vegetable stock
• 14 ounces whole tomatoes or 14 ounces diced tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 2 medium red potatoes (peeling optional) or 2 medium yukon gold potatoes (peeling optional)
• 1 carrot, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1/4 lb green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups beans (any kind, cooked or a 19 oz can, rinsed and drained)
• 1 head napa cabbage (small head, thinly sliced) or 1 head savoy cabbage (small head, thinly sliced) or 1 head bok choy (small head, thinly sliced)
• 1/3 cup pesto sauce (plus more for the table)
• 1 cup dry pasta, cooked about 3 minutes less than package indicates
• salt
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 heat a drizzle of oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven, and saute the onion, garlic, and pancetta or bacon until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes.
• 2 add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
• 3 add the potatoes, carrot, zucchini, both types of beans, and cabbage to the pot, and simmer again.
• 4 cover, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• 5 add the pesto and pasta right before serving, and taste for seasoning (you may not need any--pancetta and pesto are both quite salty).
• 6 pass around more pesto at the table if desired.