Italian vegetable soup

Ingredients

• 2 each of onions and carrots, chopped

• 4 sticks celery, chopped

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 bay leaves

• few sprigs thyme

• 3 courgettes, chopped

• 400g can butter beans, drained

• 400g can chopped tomatoes

• 1.2l vegetable stock

• 100g parmesan or vegetarian equivalent, grated

• 140g small pasta shapes

• small bunch basil, shredded

Instructions

1. Gently cook the onion, carrots and celery in the oil in a large saucepan for 20 mins, until soft. Splash in water if they stick. Add the sugar, garlic, purée, herbs and courgettes and cook for 4-5 mins on a medium heat until they brown a little.
2. Pour in the beans, tomatoes and stock, then simmer for 20 mins. If you’re freezing it, cool and do so now (freeze for up to three months). If not, add half the Parmesan and the pasta and simmer for 6-8 mins until pasta cooked. Sprinkle with basil and remaining Parmesan to serve. If frozen, defrost then re-heat before adding pasta and cheese and continuing as above.