Recipe and image by Julie Le Clerc
This soup’s rustic charm makes it easily adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand. Feel free to adjust the balance – if you prefer more pasta and fewer beans, go for it. In spring or autumn, try swapping the broccoli for zucchini or green beans.
Serves 10–12
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sticks celery, diced
1 large waxy potato, peeled and diced
6 cups liquid vegetable stock or water
piece of Parmesan rind, if available
1 head broccoli, roughly chopped
1 cup frozen peas
handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
200g gnocchi
400g can cannellini beans, drained
100g baby spinach leaves (or other leafy greens such as silverbeet or kale), chopped
To serve:
Basil pesto
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot set over medium heat. Add the leek and a little salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, celery and potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the stock or water and the Parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the broccoli, peas, parsley, gnocchi and cannellini beans; simmer for 5–10 minutes or until the gnocchi is cooked and broccoli is tender.
Right before serving, remove the Parmesan rind and add the leafy greens. Adding the spinach or other leafy greens at the last minute will retain their colour. Simmer for 2 minutes more, until the spinach is just wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve with generous amounts of pesto stirred through and topped with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.