Minestrone soup
Back when times were tough in Italy, and ingredients were limited, the poor peasants had to make the most of the simple foods that were available to them such as grain foods, beans and lentils, and seasonal produce. Meat was expensive and eaten only occasionally and in small amounts. In kitchens throughout Italy, cooks learnt to use their resourcefulness and imagination to transform basic staples into delicious, nutritious and filling dishes — a style of cooking known as cucina povera, meaning the cuisine of the poor. And although cucina povera arose from necessity, it has evolved into a traditional way of cooking that gives humble ingredients the respect they deserve. ‘Peasant food’ has become very popular in recent years, and many classic cucina povera dishes are still enjoyed today in homes and restaurants around the world.
Take Minestrone soup, for instance, which is a hearty bean-based soup concocted from staples of cucina povera: grains in the form of pasta makes this soup more substantial; only a small amount of bacon is used for flavor, with beans instead providing protein; and a variety of everyday vegetables (fresh, canned and frozen) add lots of nutrients for little money. It never ceases to amaze me how this soup is made with such deceptively simple ingredients, yet is so deeply satisfying, flavorsome, and comforting. It just goes to show that by embracing the Italian tradition of cucina povera you don’t have to fork out on pricey ingredients to eat really well.
½ red onion — diced
½ carrot — diced
½ stick celery — diced
1 clove garlic — minced (crushed)
1 rasher bacon — finely chopped
1 cup canned tomatoes — chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup small pasta shapes
¼ cup green peas
½ zucchini — cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced into half-moons
½ cup canned cannellini beans — rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
finely grated Parmesan cheese
