Winter Minestrone

Ingredients

• Hot minestrone soup in a bowl
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ cups chopped yellow onions
• 2 cups (½-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots)
• 2 cups (½-inch) diced celery (3 stalks)
• 2½ cups (½-inch) diced peeled butternut squash
• 1½ tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi
• 6 to 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cups small pasta, such as tubetti
• 8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup good dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
   Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
2. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and pasta and heat through, about 8 minutes until the pasta is cooked. The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more chicken stock. Just before serving, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto.
3. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup. Sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Adapted from Ina Garten on barefootcontessa.com