There is finally a hint of spring in the air on the East Coast after a very chilly, snowy March. The air is still unseasonably cool but you can feel a sense of restlessness outside; almost a vibration from things wanting to spring forth. With the temperature outside still chilly, a fresh spring minestrone makes my heart sing – a warming bowl of soup bursting with brightness to encourage spring to hurry up and arrive.
In this recipe, I used what I had on hand. In this case, some asparagus, handfuls of spinach (kale or chard also works great), some cannellini beans and lots and lots of peas. Peas are “a thing” in our house. I keep bags of frozen organic baby peas in the freezer for emergencies. And although there is nothing like the crunch of a fresh pea from its pod, today’s frozen varieties can be of pretty darn good quality.
Growing up, peas were a staple for our little Italian family. My father and my Italian grandfather were stonemasons who were passionate about their work but earned little in rural NJ. My mom did her best – sometimes scraping by from week to week. She was a master at making a warm, comforting meal from little.
However, that skill could not save us from her “macaroni and peas” as she called it – a meal we found on our dinner table almost every week. Other kids had macaroni and cheese, not our house – it was macaroni and peas. I still remember going to college and realizing that other families did not eat macaroni and peas every Wednesday, but they did eat lots of macaroni and cheese. My roommate even had little boxes of this stuff – gooey yellow fake cheese on squishy macaroni. Oh my. I didn’t dare let my mother see those boxes when she came to visit. (I can still here her screaming when she thought I had purchased a bottle of ragù (it was my roommates, I swear). She always made sure I was sent back to college with trays of lasagna to feed my entire floor for weeks. The other kids would wait for me in the dorm lounge on Sunday evenings, forks and plates at the ready. As an adult, peas always make me think of my mom – especially when I now make her version of macaroni and peas.
However, back to our recipe at hand – this soup can be on the table in a quick 30 minutes. I also made a quick parsley pesto to boost the flavor. To serve, simply ladle the soup into warmed bowls, stir in a tablespoon or two of the pesto and drizzle with a bit of extra version olive oil. Spring – please hurry.
Buon appetito!
Michele
Spring minestrone with parsley pesto
Ingredients:
For the parsley pesto:
● 1 cup Italian parsley leaves, loosely packed
● 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
● ¼ cup pine nuts
● 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
● Zest and juice from ½ lemon
● ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
● Salt
● Freshly ground black pepper
For the soup:
● ¼ cup olive oil
● 4 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half, rinsed and cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices
● 3 cloves garlic, minced
● 1 bay leaf
● ½ cup dry white wine
● 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
● Salt
● Freshly ground black pepper
● 1 (14 ½ ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
● 12 ounces asparagus, tough ends trimmed and stalks cut on a diagonal into ½ inch pieces
● 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
● 2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
● Grated or shaved Parmesan
● Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Directions:
1. Make the pesto: In a food processor, purée the parsley, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice and 1 tablespoon water until a paste forms. With the machine running, add in the olive oil in a thin stream. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Make the soup: In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek, garlic, bay leaf and sauté, stirring frequently until the fragrant and the leeks begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until almost absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season broth with salt and pepper.
3. Add in the beans and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add in the asparagus and peas and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add in the spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Ladle the soup into bowls. Stir in a tablespoon of pesto and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese, extra pesto and plenty of toasted bread.
Joe and Michele Becci are a brother and sister team who love all things Italian. Together, from opposite coasts, they co-author the blog www.OurItalianTable.com.
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