Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 6 servings

- 1 oz (30 g) dried porcini mushrooms
- 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, tough stems removed and chopped
- 3 Yukon gold or other boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (8 oz/250 g) peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash
- 4 fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or
- 2 cups (12 oz/375 g) seeded and chopped canned plum (Roma) tomatoes, with juice
- 2 cups (8 oz/250 g) fresh borlotti or other shelling beans, or 2 cups (14 oz 440 g) drained cooked beans
- 1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind (optional)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup (31/2 oz/105 g) macaroni, tubetti, or other small pasta shape
- 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) pesto, homemade (page 273) or purchased
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

The best versions of this soup are made with fresh seasonal vegetables. Don't hesitate to add or substitute cabbage, green beans, eggplant (aubergine), cauliflower, peas, zucchini (courgette), leeks, or whatever else looks good at the market or that you might have on hand. After long, slow cooking, the soup should be thick and the vegetables soft. In Liguria, minestrone is eaten in different ways: sometimes a dollop of fragrant pesto is added to the hot soup, sometimes the soup is served at room temperature, and sometimes rice is used instead of pasta. Simmering the rind from a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano in the soup imparts a rich, deep flavor.

In a bowl, combine the mushrooms and 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) warm water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Strain the liquid through a paper coffee filter or a fine-mesh lieve lined with dampened cheesecloth (muslin) and set aside. Rinse the mushrooms well under cold running water, paying special attention to the stem pieces where bits of soil sometimes cling to the base. Drain well, chop, and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and golden, 10-15 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, chard, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, beans, and cheese rind (if using). Add the mushroom liquid and enough water to cover the vegetables by about 1/2 inch (12 mm), bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to low. Season with salt and pepper and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened and the vegetables are soft, about 11/2 hours, adding water as needed if the soup becomes too thick.
Add the pasta and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. If the cheese rind has been used, you can remove it from the pot, cut it into small pieces, and return it to the soup or discard it.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 6 servings

- 1 cup (7 oz/220 g) dried borlotti or cranberry beans
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
- 1 large tornato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
- 8 cups (64 fl oz/2 I) beef stock (page 273) or chicken stock (page 274)
- 2 cups (7 oz/220 g) ditalini, tubetti, or other small hollow pasta
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Here, beans and pasta are combined in a classic soup of southern Italy. Borlotti beans, which are ivory-beige with maroon speckles, are known as cranberry beans or French horticultural beans in the United States. If you can find fresh borlotti shell beans, which are in season in late summer and early autumn, you can substitute 2 cups (14 oz/440 g) of them for the dried beans. Cook them in boiling water until tender, about 30 minutes.

Pick over the beans and discard any misshapen beans or stones. Rinse the beans under cold running water and drain. Place in a large bowl with cold water to cover generously and let soak for at least 4 hours or for up to overnight. Drain the beans, rinse well, and transfer to a large saucepan. Add 8 cups (64 fl oz/2 I) cold water and the garlic cloves and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about l'h hours. Drain and set aside.
In another large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté unti! the onion is golden, 6-8 minutes. Add the tornato, stock, and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. If desired, to thicken the soup, remove 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) and purée in a food processor or blender. Add the puréed soup back to the saucepan and stir to combine. Raise the heat to medium, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes.

Buon appetito!