The Minestrone alla Genovese is a first course (but also a one-dish meal) of the Genoese tradition. It has become known worldwide thanks to the sailors who, already since the 19th century, prepared it aboard the small boats (gozzi) and sold it to the crew. The vegetables vary according to the season and every family has its own recipe. What must never be missing, however, are the brichetti (a short stick-shaped pasta named after matches, called "bricchetti" in Genoese) or ditalini and the pesto which is added at the end off the heat. To fully savor its goodness, the Minestrone alla Genovese should be eaten the next day . . . here is the recipe :
Other recipes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 3 Hours
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 carrots
- 3.5 oz fresh borlotti beans (shelled weight (about 1/2 cup))
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 leek
- 1 tomato (ripe)
- 4 leaves borage
- 2 oz green beans (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 oz pumpkin (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 oz savoy cabbage (about 1 cup shredded)
- 2 potatoes
- 7 oz prosciutto crudo (rind)
- 3.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (rind)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/3 tsp fine salt
- 4 tbsp Genovese pesto
- 6 oz spaghetti (broken (brichetti) (about 160 g))
- 8 1/2 cups water (cold (about 2 L))
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Cutting board
- Pot
- Chopper
Steps
Make a mince of onion, leek, garlic, 1 carrot and, together with the prosciutto rind, sauté with a little oil in a large pot that can hold about 8 1/2 cups (2 liters) of water. Wash all the vegetables, cut them into cubes, also chop the chard and the borage; if you use fresh beans, shell them (if dried, soak them overnight) and add everything to the pot. Pour in 8 1/2 cups (2 liters) of cold water, add the salt and finally add a Parmigiano rind.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover and let cook for 3 hours. Cook the pasta separately, drain it and add it to the minestrone. Remove from the heat and, while stirring, add the pesto, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan. As mentioned, the Minestrone alla Genovese is even better if eaten cold the next day.
