Recipe - Minestrone Genovese (Vegetable Soup With Pest

1 1/3 cup Dried white kidney beans,
soaked
8 cup Water
2 lg Potatoes, minced
One half pound Butternut squash, peeled &
minced
3 lg Zucchini, chopped finely
1 Tomato, peeled, seeded &
chopped
1/3 pound Mushrooms, cut or sliced up
1 Carrot, finely chopped
2 Celery ribs, finely chopped
1 lg Garlic clove, minced
1 Yellow onion, finely cut or sliced up
1/3 cup Olive oil
1 One half teaspoon Coarse sea salt
One half pound Tubular pasta
2 tablespoon Pesto, see recipe
Olive oil

Drain the beans & combine with the water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil &
cok at a high heat for 10 minutes. Reduce heat & simmer, covered, for
another 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, squash, zucchini, tomato & mushrooms &
cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time. After about 15 minutes,
add the carrot, celery, garlic & onion. Simmer for another 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Add the olive oil & salt. Continue simemring,
pressing the beans & potatoes against the side of the pot to make the soup
dense. After another 15 minutes cooking, add the pasta & simmer for 9 or 10
minutes until it is al dente. Just as the heat is turned off, stir in the
pesto. Let the soup cool until it is tepid & serve it with drizzles of
olive oil on top.