Minestrone Soup
By: Anonymous
Published: Thursday, December 31, 2009 - 11:49pm

Ingredients




1 cup diced pancetta Italian bacon
2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced green cabbage
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 head escarole, cut in 2 inch cubes
2 cups stewed Italian tomatoes, diced
1 cup white beans, cooked until partially tender
4 qts. beef broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
2 cups diced white onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/4 tablespoon crushed red chili peppers
2 cups diced carrots

Preparation

1 In large pot over medium heat, saute pancetta in olive oil until slightly crisp. Add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add seasoning, carrots, celery, cabbage and zucchini and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add escarole, tomatoes, white beans and beef broth. Simmer soup 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. When serving, add a little pesto (optional) and 1/4 cup cooked pasta to each dish (optional).