Variations to add: 1 zucchini and/or 7 oz (200g) of fresh shelling beans
For pesto:
1 large handful of basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, pepper
Grated parmensan cheese (as desired, to top the soup)
Cookware
1 large pot/saucepan
1 mortar and pestle for the pistou (pesto)
1 serving dish for soup
Preparation
Prepare the vegetables: while the ingredients in this recipe can be varied, you'll need to at least have the green beans, potatoes and tomatoes. Trim and string the green beans and cut the potatoes into cubes. Peel, seed and dice the tomatoes
Pour 10 1/2 cups (2.5L) of cold water with salt in a large saucepan and add the potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. After ten minutes, add the green beans and tomatoes. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat and then continue to simmer
Near the end of cook time, add the spaghetti, split in 3. Stir, bring to a boil again and make sure to simmer for a few minutes since the soup is thick and may stick otherwise
Prepare the Pistou right before serving:
Use a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic with the basil leaves. Slowly add the olive oil (like when thickening mayonnaise) and then dilute with 2 or 3 spoonfuls of soup
Put the pistou in the serving dish and gently pour the broth and vegetables on top, mixing with a wooden spoon. Serve the cheese separately, to be sprinkled on top as desired.
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Final Thoughts
The amount and type of vegetables can be varied depending on what you have in the kitchen
Variation: if using the shelled beans, add at the same time as the potatoes; if using zucchini, add at the same time as the tomatoes
