for 6
100 g fresh cannellini beans, cooked (see here)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
inner white heart of 1 head celery, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 medium potatoes (Roseval), peeled and cubed
2 fresh ripe tomatoes, skinned (see here), seeded and chopped
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and coarsely chopped
50 g each of podded fresh peas and broad beans
100 g fresh green beans, tailed and chopped
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre chicken stock (see here)
4 Swiss chard leaves, chopped
100 g small pasta such as digitali or gnocchetti
Ricotta Pesto (see here)
60 g Parmesan, freshly grated
extra virgin olive oil
In a large, thick-bottomed saucepan heat the olive oil, and cook the onion, celery, garlic and parsley until very soft, about 15 minutes. In a separate saucepan heat the chicken stock. Stir the potatoes and tomatoes into the vegetable mixture, then add half of each of the zucchini, peas, broad beans and green beans. Season, then cover with chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the remaining zucchini and other vegetables, the chard leaves and cannellini beans, and bring to the boil. Cook for a further 15 minutes.
Remove a quarter of the soup to a food processor and pulse-chop to a thick purée. Return to the bulk of the soup and stir. In a separate saucepan cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and add to the soup. Stir in half the pesto and the Parmesan, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve the remaining pesto separately.