Corsican Minestra

Name: Corsican Minestra
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve; 1 large onion, chopped; 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 leek, cleaned and cut into evenly sized pieces; 250 g dried borlotti beans (1/2 lb) or 250 g cranberry beans, soaked overnight in cold water (1/2 lb); 450 g new potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450 g yellow fin potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450 g red potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450 g white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-cm dice (1 lb, 1/4-in dice); 250 g carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm dice (1/2 lb, 1/4-in dice); 2 celery ribs, cut into 1cm dice (1/4-in dice); 1 beefsteak tomatoes or 1 slicing tomatoes, skinned and chopped; 1 rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped; 12 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 liters water (2 qts & 3 oz); 1 14 kg smoked ham hock (2.64 lbs) or 1 kg smoked gammon steak, cubed (2.2 lbs.); 250 g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1cm pieces (1/2 lb, 1/4-in dice); 2 courgettes (1/4-in dice) or 2 zucchini, cut into 1cm dice (1/4-in dice); 500 g green cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced (1.1 lb); 75 g dried tagliatelle pasta noodles, broken into 5cm pieces (2.65 oz); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano; 10 g flat leaf parsley, chopped (.35 oz); 500 ml water (1 qt.)

20 ingredients

10 steps

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 leek, cleaned and cut into evenly sized pieces
250 g dried borlotti beans (1/2 lb) or 250 g cranberry beans, soaked overnight in cold water (1/2 lb)
450 g new potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450 g yellow fin potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450 g red potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450 g white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-cm dice (1 lb, 1/4-in dice)
250 g carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm dice (1/2 lb, 1/4-in dice)
2 celery ribs, cut into 1cm dice (1/4-in dice)
1 beefsteak tomatoes or 1 slicing tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped
12 teaspoon dried oregano
2 liters water (2 qts & 3 oz)
1 14 kg smoked ham hock (2.64 lbs) or 1 kg smoked gammon steak, cubed (2.2 lbs.)
250 g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1cm pieces (1/2 lb, 1/4-in dice)
2 courgettes (1/4-in dice) or 2 zucchini, cut into 1cm dice (1/4-in dice)
500 g green cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced (1.1 lb)
75 g dried tagliatelle pasta noodles, broken into 5cm pieces (2.65 oz)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
10 g flat leaf parsley, chopped (.35 oz)
500 ml water (1 qt.)

Directions

1

Heat the oil in a really large pan, add the onion, garlic and leek, and cook gently for 34 minutes.
2

Drain the soaked beans and add to the pan with the potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato, rosemary, dried oregano and 2 liters water.
3

Add the ham hock or gammon to the pan and press the pieces down into the soup so they are totally submerged.
4

Bring everything to a simmer and leave to cook, uncovered, for 1 hour.
5

Add the green beans, courgettes, cabbage, tagliatelle and fresh oregano and simmer for a further 1520 minutes until the soup is thick.
6

If using ham hock, remove the pieces, pull the meat off the bone and tear it into small chunks.
7

Discard the skin and bone and stir the ham back into the soup.
8

Add the parsley and up to 500ml hot water to loosen it slightly.
9

Season with pepper.
10

Serve in large, warmed soup bowls, drizzled with a little more olive oil.