Each of the six villages in Sardinia’s blue zones area prides itself on recipes for both summer and winter minestrones. Minestrones are chunky and hearty fresh vegetable soups enjoyed year-round with in-season vegetables. Not only do these fragrant soups provide several helpings of vegetables, but they also deliver a full daily dose of beans, my favorite longevity supplement. This bountiful dish is eaten for lunch every day by the world’s longest lived family, the Melises.
In America, we tend to eat only fennel bulbs, but Sardinians take full use of the aromatic fronds, which are also rich in antioxidants. The fresh herbs and fennel give these hearty soups a fresh and sprightly lift. You can make any of these with canned beans, but using dried beans will result in a deeper flavor. And, as longevity scientist Gianni Pes points out, a longer cooking time enhances the bioavailability of more nutrients, such as the lycopene in tomatoes, as well as carotenoids and other antioxidants.
Steps
1
Make the Soup
Ingredients
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2⁄3 cup)
2 medium celery stalks, chopped (about 1⁄2 cup)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced (about 11⁄2 cups)
1 1⁄2 cups chopped fennel (bulbs, stalks, and fronds)
1⁄4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1⁄2 cup dried and peeled fava beans, soaked overnight (or one 15-ounce can, drained)
1⁄2 cup dried cranberry beans, soaked overnight (or one 15-ounce can, drained)
2⁄3 cup Sardinian fregula, Israeli couscous, or acini di pepe pasta
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, potatoes, fennel, parsley, and basil, as well as the drained beans and chickpeas. Add enough water (about 6 to 8 cups) so that everything is submerged by 1 inch.
Raise the heat to high and bring pot to a full boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, uncovered, until the beans are tender, adding more water as necessary, about 11⁄2 hours. If using canned beans, simmer for only 10 minutes.
Stir in the pasta, salt, and pepper. Add up to 2 cups of water if the soup seems too dry. Continue simmering, uncovered, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into bowl before serving.
