ITALIAN BEAN SOUP

Ingredients:

Olive oil - 2 tsp

Leek - 1 (washed and chopped)

Garlic clove - 1 (peeled and crushed)

Dried oregano - 2 tsp

Green beans - 75 gms (trimmed and cut into bite size pieces)

Cannellini beans - 400 gms can (drained and rinsed) 

Small pasta shapes - 75 gms

Vegetable stock - 1 litre

Cherry tomatoes - 8

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Freshly shredded basil - 3 tbsp

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the leek, garlic and oregano and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the green beans and the cannellini beans. Add pasta and vegetable stock.
• Bring the stock mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the pasta is cooked to 'al dente'. Stir occasionally.
• In a heavy based frying pan, dry fry the tomatoes over a high heat until they soften and the skins begin to blacken.
• Gently crush the tomatoes in the pan with the back of a spoon and add to the soup.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the shredded basil and serve immediately.