SOUPE AU PISTOU

 

This soup made with summer vegetables and pasta is served with pesto. The word pesto means in Provence the pestle of mortar used to make the preparation. This soup is usually served as an entrée. Enjoy your Provencale experience! Drink a special wine from this region with it. Either a Rose (Cotes de Provence) or a white wine from Cassis! Enjoy!

For this soup, use a large stockpot to accommodate all the ingredients.

 

Preparation: 1 hour; cooking time: 1 h 15 minutes

 

For the soup:

1 can of cannellini beans (16 oz) drained and rinsed

1 can of light red kidney beans (16 oz) drained and rinsed

0.30 lb. of fresh snow peas

1 onion

1 zucchini

2 carrots

2 celery ribs

10 leaves of basil

3 garlic cloves

2 potatoes

3.5 oz of Ditalini pasta

Coarse salt and pepper

 

For the pistou:

1 bunch of basil

5 garlic cloves

2 tomatoes

3.5 oz of grated Parmesan + more for serving

1/3 cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper

 

Soak the zucchini in a large bowl filled with cold water for at least 20 minutes. This will eliminate the soil embedded in the skin. Rinse the zucchini thoroughly under cold running water, rubbing briskly with your hands to remove any grit. Trim both ends of the zucchini and dice it.

Put the white and red beans in the soup pot; add the snow peas washed and trimmed and the zucchini.

Peel the carrots, potatoes, onion and celery and dice them. Add the vegetables in the pot finishing by the garlic peeled and smashed and the basil leaves.

Fill the stockpot with 6 to 7 cups of water. Add some coarse salt and pepper.

Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook the soup uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare the pistou.

Peel and seed the tomatoes. Cut them into pieces and place them in a colander with some pinches of salt and let them drain.

Peel the garlic and place the cloves with the basil leaves washed in the blender. Add the tomatoes, the Parmesan and olive oil. Blend to obtain a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

When the soup is done, add the pasta and cook it for 10-12 minutes or until tender.

Ladle the soup into individual plates. Add one big scoop of pistou and mix it with the soup. You can serve also some Parmesan cheese on the side.

Bon Appétit!