Minestra
Minestra is a typical Genoese dish, not to be confused with the Basque ‘menestra’ which is simply mixed boiled vegetables, or with Italian minestrone, a thick vegetable soup.
2 courgettes, roughly diced
1 aubergine, roughly diced
1 large piece pumpkin, roughly diced
1 onion, roughly diced
1 kohlrabi (colinabo), roughly diced
2 turnips, roughly diced
1 UK pint (600 ml) vegetable stock
Olive oil
1 head of garlic
Fresh basil
Dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
Fideua (spaghetti)
Salt
Pepper
Combine the courgettes, aubergines, pumpkin, onion, and kohlrabi in a large pot or pressure cooker. Add the vegetable stock and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bring to pressure and cook for 8–10 minutes, or simmer for 1 hour. Cool, then purée the whole thing.
8–10 minutes
Place a large handful of basil leaves and about 6 cloves of garlic in a mortar and pound until roughly crushed and a gritty paste is achieved. Add to the pot, stir and season to taste.
Meanwhile, boil the beans separately until soft, then add to purée mixture.
Boil the pasta until al dente then add to mixture.
Serve with grated Parmesan or hard Edam sprinkled over it.