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Soup: Genovese Minestrone w/Sweet Sausage & Pesto

Source of Recipe

Gladys


List of Ingredients

2 ounces small pasta

1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage (with fennel)
1/4 cup water
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup red zinfandel
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
dash dried thyme or 1/2 teaspoon fresh
1 bay leaf--stick toothpick through leaf
1 medium red potato, diced
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 10 ounce box frozen mixed vegetables
3 cans chicken broth
half of a 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 15 to 16 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 6 ounce zucchini, halved and thickly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
dash freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
2 tablespoons good quality Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons Pesto sauce



Recipe

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and then stir 1 teaspoon olive oil through and reserve.

Simmer sausage links in water, covered, for 8 minutes. Cool and slice sausages. Reserve sausage slices. Cook onions and garlic in sausage liquid about 2 minutes. Add to stock pot. Add wine, oregano, thyme and bay leaf. Simmer while preparing potato and celery.

Add potato, celery, frozen vegetables and chicken broth. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Add spinach, tomatoes, zucchini and reserved sausage slices. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt and Balsamic vinegar. Bring to very gentle simmer. Stir if needed to keep from sticking.

Just before serving, add parsley, cannellini beans, Pesto and reserved pasta. Simmer long enough to heat beans through and disperse Pesto sauce.

Note: It’s nice to add freshly grated Parmesan cheese on each serving.