CHEAT’S MINESTRONE WITH MEATBALLS

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR SERVES 6

6 Italian-style pork and fennel

sausages (675g) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium brown onion (150g),

chopped coarsely

1 clove garlic, crushed

¼ cup (70g) tomato paste

1.5 litres (6 cups) water

2 cups (500ml) chicken stock 22/3 cups (700g) passata

(Italian cooking sauce) 1 stalk celery (150g), trimmed,

chopped coarsely

1 medium carrot (120g),

chopped coarsely

1 medium zucchini (120g),

chopped coarsely

80g green beans, trimmed,

sliced diagonally

400g can borlotti beans,

drained, rinsed

¾ cup (135g) macaroni

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh

small basil leaves

1/3 cup (25g) flaked parmesan

1 Squeeze sausage meat from casings into a medium bowl; discard casings. Using wet hands, roll sausage meat into 2cm meatballs. Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook meatballs, turning, for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Remove from pan.

2 Heat remaining oil in same pan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the water, stock and passata; bring to the boil.

3 Add celery to pan; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add carrot, zucchini and green beans; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until carrot is tender. Return meatballs to pan with borlotti beans and pasta; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Season.

4 Serve minestrone topped with basil and parmesan.