Cannelini bean minestrone

This is such a great, warming, thick soup for yet another wet winter day. I'd spent the morning trying to shore up the chickens pen, so they weren't sloshing about in stinking mud. Normally they free range but the fox has been visiting, and took my pair of Barnevelders on Monday so sadly the rest of the flock are confined to barracks for a bit. Anyway two hours squelching around in the wet, lugging sacks of damp chip bark about and I needed a quick, comforting soup.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

Large spoonful of frozen tiny veg mix ( if you haven't discovered this, it's AMAZING. Finely chopped onion, celery and carrot in the freezer section of most supermarkets.)
2 crushed garlic bulbs
I can cannelini beans
Pancetta cubes, or finely chopped bacon
Tiny pasta shapes (optional)


Fry off the frozen veg, and the garlic, them add the can of beans, liquid and all. Add a little more boiling water and a chicken stock cube. Simmer for about ten minutes. Meanwhile grill/fry the pancetta or chopped bacon. If you want pasta in the soup cook it separately until al dente, then add to the soup. I cooked it in the soup which was a mistake as it took ages, and everything kept sticking. Blitz the soup with a blender THEN stir in most of the pasta and bacon, and serve, garnished with a bit of bacon, pasta, some parsley and swirl of cream. As you can see I forgot to reserve any for the garnish!