Soupe au Pistou with Zucchini & Green Beans

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained
• 2 Zucchini, diced
• 2 cups Green Beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 leek, sliced
• ½ cup small pasta (ditalini or broken spaghetti)
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Sweat the leek and carrots in a spoonful of the olive oil until soft, 5 minutes.
2. Add the stock, white beans, Zucchini, and Green Beans, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, 8–10 minutes more. Season well.
4. Meanwhile, pound or blitz the basil, garlic, remaining olive oil, parmesan, and a pinch of salt into a rough pistou — no pine nuts; this is Provence, not Genoa.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and let everyone swirl in a generous spoonful of pistou at the table, where its perfume does the most good.