Since that time, it's been a favorite even though nothing has ever lived up to that Cafe in Torin. I only tried making my own once, almost 20 years ago when my cooking capabilities only consisted of following recipes with absolutely no imagination of my own. Well, I can confidently say my imagination has taken off over the past 5 years and my cooking is the better for it and with the popularity of Pinterest I can find inspiration anywhere, even in the market, by using my phone.
This is my version and it was so hearty and GOOD! |
Here's my ingredient list:
more than 1 cup | Organic Basil AND parsley FRESH! |
2 | Organic Carrots |
2 | Organic Celery, ribs of |
1 15 oz. can | Organic Chickpeas, cooked |
10 large cloves | Organic Garlic |
2 cup | Organic Kale, chopped |
1 | Organic Leek |
1 | Organic Yellow Onion, large |
4 | Organic Potatoes |
1 28 oz. can | Organic tomatoes, with juice |
1 basket | Organic cherry or grape tomatoes |
1 | Organic Zucchini |
1/4 Cup | Homemade Pesto |
1pkg | Pesto Tortellini |
2 bx | Organic Vegetable Broth |
Here's how I made it. First I gently sauteed the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, leeks and cherry tomatoes all together. I start with the tomatoes, carrots and celery because they need to cook longer and the tomatoes need to burst, adding in the garlic, onions, leek. Then I added the broth, canned tomatoes, chickpeas potatoes, pesto and holding off til the last 15 minutes or so to add the Tortellini, finally adding the Zucchini and Kale (because I don't want them overcooked). I reserved some of the pesto for garnish, but added a good portion to the soup. If you want a cook time, I can't tell you exactly, but I taste it regularly adding Salt & Pepper when needed. Once the potatoes are cooked through and the Tortellini looks perfect, then it's basically done. I served with a dab of pesto, some fresh cut basil and Parmesan cheese on top.
I didn't know how much I was going to have but at the end it was close to 14 cups so I froze a bunch of 2 cup containers for future meals.
I'll note here that I did not add Parmesan to my Pesto. This is an old trick I learned from a friend. I make my own pesto then freeze it in a flat glass container, cut it up into cubes and keep it in the freezer and add it to sauces. It's an amazing flavor addition to any Italian dish and you can always add the cheese once it's defrosted.