Winter minestrone soup with borlotti beans and bacon

Being February, it is still quite cold outside. I find I really must have a hot lunch to keep my spirits up. Often, I will make a large pot of this healthy soup and parcel it out by the bowlful over the course of the week. But best of all, it is wonderful if I can convince my children that this is their after school snack - warming and full of Organic vegetables. This recipe can easily be adapted to a vegetarian soup by removing the bacon, but if you aren't a vegetarian, it does give a depth of flavour that satisfies the soul.

A few words about borlotti beans: these protein packed beans have a creamy texture when cooked and add a nutty flavour to your dish. If you are unable to find tinned borlotti beans, cannellini beans can be substituted. The American equivalent to borlotti beans are cranberry beans. 

1 T olive oil
1/2 cup bacon, diced or lardon
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks
1 leek, sliced
1 tin borlotti beans, drained
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Chicken stock *
1/2 red pepper, diced
small bit of crushed chili or hot red pepper (optional)
thick egg noodles or pasta
4 leaves from a savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
grated Parmesan cheese

Saute the bacon in olive oil until the fat is rendered from the meat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, leek and sweet the vegetables until tender. Add the garlic and drained borlotti beans to the pot. Top up the pot with homemade chicken stock or water with a vegetable stock bouillon powder, such as Marigold. Once the carrots have softened, add the red pepper and egg noodles. When those are just about al dente, add the Savoy cabbage. Serve in a big bowl with a grating of Parmesan cheese on top. 

I also like to leave out the noodles and pour the soup over high quality stale French or Italian bread for Ribollita. Another lovely option is a nice green dollop of fresh pesto on the top of the soup.

* I always have some stock in the freezer made with my leftover roast chicken. Here is my recipe for chicken broth: http://www.lifeatmybench.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/chicken-noodle-soup.html