Liguarian Minestrone with Vegan Pesto

Ingredients

• 100g spinach, coarsely chopped


• 1/2 a head white cabbage, cut into fairly thin strips


• 2 large potatoes, peeled


• 100g any kind of beans


• 300g fresh peas


• 3 ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded, and cut into strips


• 2 zucchini, diced


• 1 medium-small onion, minced


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• 1 rib celery, minced


• A small bunch parsley, minced


• 1/3 pound short pasta (either hollow, or long flat pasta crumbled)


• 3 tbsp olive oil


• 1 - 2 tbsp vegan pesto


• 2 quarts water


• salt

Method

Wash the vegetables well. Combine the minced celery, parsley, onion and garlic, and sauté them in the olive oil until the onion is a light golden colour. Lightly salt 2 quarts of water and set it on the fire; when the pot comes to a boil add the spinach, cabbage, beans, peas, tomatoes, potatoes and zucchini. Stir the onion mixture into the pot and simmer everything for about 45 mins.

Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, mash them with a fork or a potato ricer, and return them to the minestrone, together with the pasta; continue summering until the pasta is al dente. Remove the pot from the fire, stir in the pesto sauce, and serve.