Minestrone Genovese (Vegetable Soup With Pesto)
Grrrrrgh!
Course : Italian
From: HungryMonster.com
Serves: 6
 

Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1 1/3  cups          dried white kidney beans -- - soaked
   8      cups          water
   2      large         potatoes -- diced
     1/2  pound         butternut squash -- peeled and
                        diced
   3      large         zucchini -- chopped finely
   1                    tomato -- peeled, seeded and
                        chopped
     1/3  pound         mushrooms -- sliced
   1                    carrot -- finely chopped
   2                    celery ribs -- finely chopped
   1      large         garlic clove -- minced
   1                    yellow onion -- finely sliced
     1/3  cup           olive oil
   1 1/2  teaspoons     coarse sea salt
     1/2  pound         tubular pasta
   2      tablespoons   pesto -- see recipe
                        olive oil
 

Preparation:

Drain the beans and combine with the water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and cok at a high heat for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for another 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, squash, zucchini, tomato and mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time. After about 15 minutes, add the carrot, celery, garlic and onion. Simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the olive oil and salt. Continue simmering, pressing the beans and potatoes against the side of the pot to make the soup dense. After another 15 minutes cooking, add the pasta and simmer for 9 or 10 minutes until it is al dente. Just as the heat is turned off, stir in the pesto. Let the soup cool until it is tepid and serve it with drizzles of olive oil on top.