Winter Warm-Up

Italian Peasant Soup with Sausage & Pesto

From: Original recipe was from a friend, but it has morphed tremendously over the years—in fact this is the first time I've actually written it down.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Perfect pairings: Parmesan crostini toasts; I especially like it with Ina Garten's version (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-crisps-recipe/index.html).

This is a recipe born out of necessity: For years, I searched for the perfect minestrone recipe and none ever quite fit the bill. I wanted noodles in mine, but I also wanted an extra dose of depth and flavor that only a shocking amount of cheese could deliver.

Finally, with two cookbooks open to a classic minestrone, and classic peasant soup recipe, I started to play around and throwing in the best parts of each to create what has become a wintertime staple in our house. And yes, it does have everything but the kitchen sink in it. Sausage? Check. Squash? Check. Spinach leaves? Check. But the real secret here is the final step: Stirring in a giant spoonful (or four) of pesto gives the soup a deeply satisfying finish.

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 yellow squash, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 zucchini squash, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 15 oz. can cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) diced Italian-style tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped

1 cup dried spiral pasta

Prepared pesto sauce

Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, crumble and cook sausage over medium hear until no longer pink; drain all but 1 teaspoon of the oil and put the meat aside on a plate. In same pot, saute onions and garlic in the excess oil until tender. Stir in squash and saute for 1-2 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Add pasta and cook until pasta is al dente. Add spinach and heat until just wilted. Turn off heat, and stir in a heaping dollap (technical term, of course) of pesto. Ladle into bowls and grate a heap of cheese over each serving.