Italian

SERVING SIZE – 3

INGREDIENTS:

• Penne Pasta – 1 cup
• Vegetable stock – 2 cups
• Onion [M] – 1 number
• Garlic (finely chopped) – 1 tsp
• Tomato puree – 1 cup
• Zucchini [Medium] – 1 number
• Yellow Squash – 1 number
• Carrot [Medium] – 1 number
• Celery – 1 cup (chopped)
• Basil leaves – few sprigs
• Red kidney beans – ¼ cup (cooked)
• Chick peas – ¼ cup (cooked)
• Crush Black pepper – to taste
• Italian seasoning – to taste
• Red chili powder (optional) – 2 pinches
• Spring onion – for garnishing
• Olive oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

PREPARATION:

• Cook the penne pasta separate as per the instruction in the box (i.e. 8-10 min in boiling water).
• Soak the chick peas and red kidney beans overnight and cook it in the pressure cooker and keep it aside.
• Take a large pan and heat the oil. Add the chopped onion and when it is translucent, add the chopped garlic and sauté until raw smell is gone.
• Add the tomato puree and cook it until raw smell is gone. Then add the red chili powder and pepper powder and mix it well.
• Add the chopped veggies, few basil leaves and salt and mix it well. Add the vegetable stock and some water to mix it well. Cover it with lid.
• Bring to boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• And add the cooked pasta, chick peas, red kidney beans and Italian seasoning. Mix it well. Cook all together for last 5 minutes. Now you can adjust the salt and pepper according to your taste.
• The consistency should be not too watery or too thick. It should be in the medium.
• Garnish it with spring onion and some basil leaves.
• Serve it hot with toasted bread.

Note:

• You can use any kind of pasta variety (Macaroni, Ditalini etc…)
• Instead of fresh basil you can use dry basil as well.
• Add the cooked beans and chick pea’s water while boiling the soup.
• You can use any bean variety (eg: – Cannellini beans/White beans etc…)
• Canned beans are also fine.