Minestrone with Burrata Toasts

(from castro15’s recipe box)

Categories: Soup

Ingredients

  • For the Minestrone:
  • 1 cup dried cannellini beans
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 oz. pancetta, finely chopped
  • 1 large leek (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 quarts chicken broth
  • 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-inch piece Parmesan rind, plus grated Parmesan for topping
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
  • 1 large head escarole, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup ditalini
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • For the toasts:
  • 10 slices country bread, cut in half
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 8-oz. containers burrata cheese
  • Dried oregano and red pepper flakes, for topping

Directions

  1. Make the minestrone: Put the beans in a large pot of bowl and add enough water to cover by a few inches. Let soak in the fridge overnight.

  2. Drain and rinse the beans. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until the fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Add the leek, carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and cook until sizzling, about 1 minute.

  3. Add the chicken broth, 2 quarts water and the crushed tomatoes; bring to a simmer, then add the drained beans, bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Simmer until the beans are almost tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Season with 1 1/2 tsp salt.

  4. Add the butternut squash and escarole to the pot and cook until the all veggies and the beans are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the ditalini and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.

  5. anwhile, make the toasts: Preheat the oven to 400. Arrange the bread on 2 baking sheets and bake until crisp and golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Rub one side with the garlic clove, brush with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the burrata on the bread and sprinkle with oregano and red pepper flakes. Return to the oven just to heat the burrata, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil.

  6. Remove the bay leaves from the soup; stir in the parsley. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with grated Parmesan and the burrata toasts.

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