Recipe: Genovese Minestrone with Pesto

GENOVESE MINESTRONE WITH PESTO

"This is a very simple minestrone, but also rich in garden vegetables, with the all-important addition of a few spoonfuls of pesto just before serving. Adding this strongly flavored Genoese sauce to the soup gives it a character all of its own. It is one of the best-loved dishes in Italian cuisine, and continues to hold a place of honor on the family table and in restaurants."

1/3 cup dried borlotti beans (red)
1/3 cup dried cannelli beans
2 zucchini, trimmed and diced
2 eggplants, trimmed and diced
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 bunch celery, trimmed and diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
5 oz pasta (broken-up spaghetti, shells, anolini, macaroni, penne or other)
2 tablespoons purchased basil pesto (such as Buitoni )

Soak the borlotti and cannellini beans for 12 hours in cold water to cover. Drain. Combine all the vegetables with the oil and salt in a large saucepan. Add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover; reduce the heat to moderately low and cook for about 1 hour, until the beans are tender.

Add the pasta, turn up the heat and cook until the pasta is al dente. Turn off the heat, add the pesto and stir at once with a wooden spoon. Serve immediately.

Serves 4
adapted from a recipe by Weldon Russell.