Simpler Living Blog

RECIPES

Easy, Fresh, Italian! 3 Great Recipes for Spring

Name: Classic Minestrone
Yield: 6 – 8
Ingredients: 4 medium carrots, chopped; 1 medium zucchini, sliced; 1/4 c chopped onion; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) beef broth; 3 c V-8 juice; 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained; 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans , drained; 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained; 1/2 c uncooked elbow macaroni; 1 Tbsp fresh basil or teaspoon dried basil; 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Easy, Fresh, Italian! 3 Great Recipes for Spring

When Americans envision Italian cooking, it is heavy with the tomato sauce we have all grown to love. But this is not a truly accurate picture, for the tomato is a relatively new addition to Italian cuisine. In fact, the tomato didn't come on the Italian scene until the late 1500's and up until the late 1600's was thought to be poisonous and not used in food. This diversity gives us some wonderful dishes of Italy to use in our warm weather, spring and summer meal planning.

The first thing you will notice in these recipes is the emphasis on fresh produce. In Italy, the majority of the cooking is done by the women of the household. What turns up on the menu is commonly influenced by what is available and freshest at the local daily market. This is influenced by the region of the country the shopper is located in â€“ much like the regional differences we see in American cooking.

Classic Minestrone

Dori Fritzinger

Servings

6 – 8

Many of the foods we enjoy today come from old recipes that were made by the working class to poor people. One commonly loved recipe is for Minestrone soup. It is a very humble dish and was intended for everyday consumption, being filling and cheap. A few “American shortcuts” are included for your convenience.

Ingredients

4 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1/4 c chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) beef broth
3 c V-8 juice
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans , drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 c uncooked elbow macaroni
1 Tbsp fresh basil or teaspoon dried basil
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Instructions

In a Dutch oven, cook the carrots, zucchini, onion and garlic in oil, until onion is tender.
Add the broth, V8 juice, kidney and garbanzo beans, tomatoes, macaroni and basil
. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Stir in parsley.
Simmer 5 minutes longer or until macaroni is tender.