For everyday living in Italy, the family's main meal often begins with bowls of hot "brodo" (broth). The broth is lightly seasoned and may have a little pasta or bits of vegetables or it can be a thick, creamy and wholesome soup, sufficiently filling to make a meal. Lots of potatoes, carrots, milk and cheese gives this soup its unique velvety quality. Parsley and pesto lend it a delicate aromatic flavor. Pasta and potatoes both thicken the soup. So before serving, you may need to add a little water if the soup gets too thick.
Ingredients
1 cup potato,
peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup onions, finely chopped
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons macaroni or shell pasta
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
To be ground into a pesto:
12 to 14 basil leaves
2 or 3 walnuts, halved
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil or oil
For the garnish
4 tablespoons grated cheese
Method
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Heat the butter in a pan, add the potato, carrots and onions and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes.
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Add the milk, macaroni, 2 cups of hot water, salt and pepper and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes until the pasta is cooked.
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Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the parsley, prepared pesto and mix well.
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Serve hot, topped with the cheese.
Handy tip(s) :
You can add 2 teaspoons of ready pesto instead of the paste mentioned above. Add the pesto just before you serve the soup as it will retain its color.
