2/05/2012
ITALY, ICE AND SNOW
Right at the end of January ('till now) my country fell into a vortex of frost. Snow falls almost everywhere. For someone has been a real surprise.Can you identify some of the places I'm goint to show here?Follow me, let's go through the snow....
MINESTRONE INVERNALE
WINTER VEGETABLES SOUP
Serves 4
Ingredients
300 g of rice
250 grams of fresh beans or 100 grams of dried ones
150 grams pumpkin
100 grams of pork rinds
3 potatoes
1 carrot
1 onion
1 celery heart
one quarter of the cabbage
2 zucchini
5 basil leaves
40 grams of grated parmesan cheese
45 ounces of oil (half a deciliter)
30 grams of butter
2 bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
5 grams of salt
1 pinch of pepper
Preparation
Peel the beans, if they are dry, but remember, to soak them in warm water the night before.
Finely chop the onion, celery, carrot. Put them in the pot along with chopped basil leaves and add the 'oil and pork rinds (after cleaning and, if necessary pass the flame to burn the little hairs). On medium heat, sauté for about ten minutes.
Dice potatoes, zucchini and pumpkin, after being washed and peeled. Then cut into strips a quarter of a cabbage.
Boil in Part 2 liters of water, pour into pan, add the beans and vegetables you already took.
Put a spoonful of tomato sauce, two dice for the stock and a pinch of pepper.
Cover with a lid and cook over moderate heat for about 2 hours. Taste and add salt if necessary.
Increase the heat, put the rice in the pot well cleansed, stir and cook for twenty-five minutes.
When cooked, add butter and four tablespoons of grated Parmesan.
Serve hot, with Parmesan cheese on hand, in a beautiful bowl, perhaps in a rustic style.
You can also prepare the minestrone with pasta or rice and add as many vegetables or cereals you like.