Recipe: Genoa-Style Minestrone with Pesto (Italian)

GENOA-STYLE MINESTRONE WITH PESTO

"This soup captures all the flavors of the Italian Riviera, with lots of greens and pesto. Pesto varies throughout Liguria. The pesto called for here is prepared without pignoli or nuts of any kind. You get a lot of cheese flavor from the Parmigiano rind cooked in the soup."

FOR THE MINESTRONE:
1 cup dried borlotti, pinto, or cranberry beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 medium leek, root end removed, rinsed under cold water and chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 large clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 small zucchini, cut into small dice
1/2 small head Savoy cabbage, shredded
1/4 pound green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large green Swiss chard leaves, rinsed, stemmed, and coarsely chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potato, peeled and diced
1 piece (approximately 3 inches by 2 inches) Parmigiano cheese rind
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried tubetti or other small macaroni
FOR THE PESTO SAUCE:
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup packed fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
Grated Parmigiano cheese, for serving

TO PREPARE THE MINESTRONE:
Soak the beans in cold water for 8 hours or longer. Drain and discard the soaking water. Rinse under cold water and drain again.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy 6-quart soup pot or casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the soaked beans, zucchini, cabbage, green beans, chard, and potato. Mix well to combine. Stir in 8 cups cold water. Raise the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cheese rind and continue cooking 15 minutes longer. The rind will begin to melt and dissolve into the soup. At this point, the soup should be thick and the beans tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

TO PREPARE THE PESTO:
Combine the basil, parsley, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Turn the machine on and off a few times to chop the ingredients. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream and continue processing until the mixture resembles a smooth paste. Set aside.

Fifteen minutes before serving, reheat the soup over medium-high heat. When it comes to a low boil, add the pasta. Continue cooking, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, 10 to 12 minutes, until the pasta is tender but firm to the bite, al dente. Stir in the pesto and serve with parmigiano cheese.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Fagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy by Judith Barrett