Minestrone

What You'll Need

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
½ yellow onion, diced
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
½ small leek, diced, rinsed very well
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small turnip, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 small potato, diced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
½ cup cooked or canned cannellini beans
½ cup cooked or canned chickpeas
½ cup cooked or canned red kidney beans
5 cups spring or filtered water
1 bay leaf
1 cup cooked small pasta, like acini di pepe or elbows
2 sprigs basil, leaves removed and shredded

Instructions

Place oil, garlic and onion in a medium pot over medium heat. When the onion begins to sizzle, add a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of cracked black pepper and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in leek and a pinch of salt and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in celery and a pinch of salt and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in turnip and a pinch of salt and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in carrot and a pinch of salt and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in potato and a pinch of salt and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, beans, water and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until vegetables are quite tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Season with 1½ teaspoons salt and simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in cooked pasta. Serve garnished with basil.

Makes 5-6 servings