Beef and Vegetable Soup

To day is rainy here in Trento, so I decided to make a soup. A really good soup that can fill you up and warm you inside. My mother used to make this soup for the family.But I have made some changes cause there are some ingredients that my daughter doesn’t like. so you can add and leave some ingredients if you want to.

If you want to make it in advance and refrigerate or make a larger portion and consume for coming days (up to three days) it is possible. But I suggest that you don’t mix the pasta with the soup because it will absorb all the liquid and becomes mushy. so cook the pasta for the day that you intend to use the soup. May be the soup tends to get thicker, in this case, heat up a broth and add.

It is also very important selecting a suitable pasta,  the thinner the soup, the smaller the pasta.  For broths and light soups, select from a large assortment of tiny shapes.

For the croûtons simply take a day or two old bread cut it in medium squares, on a pan with a little bit of butter/ olive oil toast it till golden brown. It is crunchy. We also eat this as a snack in my home.

yield  4 -5 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 fresh garlic minced (1 teaspoon dried garlic)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger grated (1 teaspoon dried ginger)
• 1 medium red onion chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper
• 250g/ 1/2lb minced ground beef
• 50ml/0.2cups dry white wine
• 1 medium carat cleaned and cut in small squares
• 2 medium potatoes cleaned and cut in small squares
• 1 litter (4 cups) vegetable broth
• 20g/0.7oz pastina
• 300g/ 11oz small drayed pasta
• salt

Garnish

• chilly (spicy) oil
• rosemary
• croûtons
• fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure

1. first thing is first boil the vegetable broth
2. heat the oil in a pot on a medium high and the garlic and ginger and cook till you smell the onion ( useful tip:do not burn the garlic or else it will be bitter)
3. add the onion and cook till soft about 5 minutes ( useful tip:if it tends to burn add a little bit of broth and cover the pot) then add the chilly pepper and go for another 2 minutes
4. add the beef and cook till it finishes its liquid, breaking it up as you go, until no longer pink – 3 minutes
5. add the wine increase heat to high and let the alcohol evaporate, 5 seconds, and remain the sweet test of the wine decrease the heat
6. add the carat and half of the broth cover the pot and cook till nearly soft about 10 minutes
7. add potatoes cook another 5 minutes  add the rest of the broth
8. now add the pastina and the pasta cook for 8-9 minutes the past should be just about cooked. The pasta should  be cooked – tender but firm.
9. taste and adjust salt. put in a bowl, drizzle chilly oil, grate the cheese, spread some croûtons and ENJOY