Ingredients

• 2½ tbsp olive oil40 g
• 1 diced brown onion150 g
• 2 diced carrots140 g
• 2 diced celery sticks100 g
• 3 crushed garlic cloves12 g
• 1½ tbsp tomato paste35 g
• 1 × 400 g tin chopped tomatoes400 g
• 1.2 L vegetable stock1200 g
• 2 diced zucchini200 g
• 1 × 400 g tin drained cannellini or borlotti beans240 g
• 100 g small dried pasta100 g
• 2 handfuls baby spinach80 g
• ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan to serve30 g

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 12 minutes, stirring now and then. Take the time here. This base is most of the flavour and there's nothing else in the pot doing that job.
2. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomato paste for 2 minutes until it darkens.
3. Add the tinned tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
4. Add the zucchini and beans and cook 8 minutes.
5. Add the pasta and cook until just done, following the packet time. Cooking it in the soup thickens the broth slightly, which is what you want.
6. Stir the spinach through until it wilts. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
7. Serve with parmesan over the top.