Southern Italian Vegetable Soup

Ingredients                                          

• 2 medium tomatoes 
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 
• 2 medium potatoes, finely chopped and soaked in water 
• ¼ small cabbage, chopped
• 6-8 fresh basil   leaves
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 inch stalk of celery, chopped
• Salt to taste
• White pepper powder to taste
• ¼ cup macaroni
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water

Method

1. Remove the eye of tomatoes and make a small incision at the bottom. Boil one cup of water and blanch tomatoes for one minute and remove immediately. Peel, remove the seeds and puree or mince them.
2. Reserve a few basil leaves for garnish and chop the rest.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan, add onion and garlic and sauté till they turn translucent.
4. Add celery, carrot and potatoes.  Stir continuously and cook for five minutes.
5. Add cabbage, tomatoes and cook stirring continuously. Add salt, white pepper powder, chopped basil and macaroni, stir and add vegetable stock or water and bring it to a boil.
6. Lower the heat and simmer till vegetables are cooked and the soup has thickened.
7. Garnish with the reserved basil and serve hot.

Nutrition Info