Megna’s Minestrone Soup Recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced potatoes

1 cup diced zucchini

1/3 cup diced celery

1 cup frozen peas

2 cloves minced garlic

½ pound Italian sausage, removed from the casing (use hot sausage if
you want to add a little zing)

2 tablespoon chopped onions

½ cup chopped leeks or green onions

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

8 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/8^th teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cooked elbow macaroni

¾ cup dry sherry

1 8oz. can kidney beans

1 8oz. can garbanzo beans

Grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1: In a 6-8qt. soup pot, melt the butter over moderate heat, add vegetables and garlic, stir for 3-5 min. until they are lightly coated but not browned. Remove from pot and set aside.  

Step 2: Sauté the sausage in the same pot, stir frequently until cooked.  Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain: you may also wish to pat down the sausage with paper towels to remove excess grease.  Next discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat left in the pot after cooking the sausage.  Add onions and leeks, cook for 5 minutes until onions are soft and lightly browned.

Step 3: Stir the tomatoes, chicken stock, and seasonings into the soup pot and add the set-aside vegetables from Step 1. Bring to a boil.  Once the boil is ttained reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 25 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and parsley sprigs.

Step 4:  Add the sausage, beans, macaroni and sherry.  Cook on low to medium heat for another 15 to 20 minutes or longer.

Step 5:  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serving

Our family prefers to sever this soup with grated parmesan cheese and crusty or sourdough bread.

From the Megna Family Cucina to You – Mangia Italiana (eat and enjoy Italian food)