This wonderful Provençal vegetable soup is certainly nicest when the vegetables are in season but it also is a delightful winter dish – most ingredients should also be easily available in winter. The highlight of this dish is the „sauce pistou“, which you swirl in just before serving.

Sanni

Ingredients:

For the soup:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 l of vegetable stock
• freshly ground pepper, salt
• 400 grams of canned or fresh skinned tomatoes, chopped
• 200 grams of green beans
• 200 grams of borlotti beans (alternatively green peas)
• 100 grams of elbow macaroni (or any other type of small pasta)
• To serve: grated gruyère or parmsan cheese

For the Pistou sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 5-6 grains of coarse salt
• Bunch of basil
• 60 ml of olive oil

Preparation:

Preparing the soup:

1. Heat up the olive oil over low to medium heat in a large saucepot.
2. Add the shallot and fry for 1-2 minutes until it softens.
3. Add the carrot, potatoes and zucchini. Fry for a few more minutes while stirring occasionally.
4. Add the vegetable stock and bring to simmer. Season with pepper and salt, cover and simmer for around 20 minutes.
5. Then add the green beans and the borlotti beans as well as the pasta. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
6. Season to taste with more freshly ground pepper and salt.

Preparing the sauce:

1. Crush the garlic together with the salt in a mortar.
2. Pick the leaves off the basil, add to the mortar and pound until you have a rough paste.
3. Then drizzle in the olive oil in small increments while continuously pounding until you have a thick mixture.

Serving:

1. Ladle the soup into individual bowls.
2. Drop 2-3 tablespoons of pistou sauce in the middle and sprinkle with the cheese.