RECIPE | Italian bean and pasta soup (pasta e fagioli)

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil, plus extra to serve

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

30ml (2 tbsp) finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves, fresh or dried

4 celery sticks, finely chopped

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

50g butter

30ml (2 tbsp) cake flour

1 x 400g can pinto beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 x 400g butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 x 400g borlotti beans, rinsed and drained

1 litre vegetable stock

250ml (1 cup) dry white wine

200g (1 cup) grated parmesan cheese

150g (1 cup) uncooked penne pasta

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot and gently fry the onion until soft.
2. Add garlic, rosemary and bay leaves and stir-fry for a minute, then add the celery and half the chopped parsley.
3. Stir in the butter and continue cooking until celery is soft.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir so that ingredients are well coated, then add all the beans and pour in the stock and wine.
5. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then stir in the parmesan cheese and pasta and cook until pasta is al dente. The soup can be thinned down with a little more wine if required.
6. Stir in the remaining parsley and an extra swirl of olive oil and serve.