Farfalline Minestrone

Hearty soup, based on minestrone
A few minutes spare in the Sorrento supermarket allowed me to take a moment to explore all the different shapes and sizes on offer. This particular shape took my fancy and it’s only now that I Farfalline translates to butterflies.
Prep: Large Stock Pot with Lid, As ever don’t get precious over the veg you use, just pick a few good wholesome root veggies and the liquid ratio is yours to choose depending on how thick you like your soup
Ingredients
- 150g Puy lentils
- 50g Pearl Barley
- 2 onions, peeled and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
- 2 Celery Stalks, diced
- 1 tbsp Bouillon
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 3 Carrots, diced
- 1 Parsnip, diced
- 4 slices Smoked Bacon, diced
- 4 Potatoes diced (500g)
- 1 tin of Borlotti beans drained and rinsed
- Glug of Olive Oil or Rapeseed
Directions
- Start with soaking the lentils and barley, give them a thorough wash in plenty of running cold water, then soak in the 500ml of water
- Glug of oil in the pan, heat through and then add the bacon
- Dice the onions, and add to the pan
- When the onions start to soften add the crushed garlic, the celery, and turn over, soften for a minute or so
- Add the root veg, and turn over on low heat for 8 minutes or so
- Add the bouillon (I do this dry) and the mixed herbs…..stir through.
- Pour over the Puy lentils, plus barley and the 500ml water
- Top up with water from the kettle (1.5 litre). Cover the veg by 4-5 cm.
- Simmer gently for 15 mins
- Add in the pasta and simmer as per the length of time on the packet. About 6 mins for the Farfalline
- Judge the water level as you stir through to stop things sticking to the bottom
- I briefly pulsed a hand blender to thicken a little…..but it doesn’t really need it
- Feel free to season to taste with salt/ground pepper
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