Bacon and Broccoli Minestrone

Serves 8
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Tick off the ingredients as you buy them

1 cup small pasta (risone, elbows or macaroni)
1 head broccoli
¼ cup Moro Delicado Light Taste Olive Oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 rashers bacon, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
400g can diced tomatoes
2 litres chicken stock
400g can cannellini beans, undrained
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Moro Primero Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
chopped parsley and shaved Parmesan, for sprinkling
crusty bread, for serving

Cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until just ‘al dente’. Drain and reserve. Cut broccoli into small florets and chop the stalks. Heat Moro Delicado Light Taste Olive Oil in a large heavy-based pot and sauté onion, garlic and bacon until softened. Add carrots, potatoes and chopped broccoli stalks (reserve the florets) and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock and beans and bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender and soup has thickened slightly. Add broccoli florets and pasta to soup and simmer a further 5 minutes or until broccoli is just tender. Season to taste. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with Moro Primero Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan, and serve with crusty bread.