Broken pasta soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 x 400g cans Val Verde diced Italian tomatoes
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 50g dried thin spaghetti, broken into 6cm lengths
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• basil pesto, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes or until onion has softened. Add carrot, zucchini and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato and stock. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Remove lid. Season with pepper. Add spaghetti. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until spaghetti is just tender. Stir in parsley. Serve soup topped with pesto.