Fight off the winter blues with this minestrone soup!

Ingredients:

• 2tbs olive oil
• 2 rashers (140kg) streaky bacon, finely chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, trimmed, chopped
• 800g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped
• 2tbs finely chopped rosemary leaves
• 1/2 bunch sage, finely chopped
• 100g vacuum-packed chestnuts, finely chopped
• 400g can chopped tomatoes 
• 400g can borlotti beans, rinsed, drained
• 1.5L (6 cups) vegetable stock
• 500g seasonal greens (we used cabbage, kale and cavolo nero), stalks removed, thinly sliced
• 100g wholemeal pasta
• Basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil and crusty bread to serve

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a lid over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Add the onion, carrot, celery, pumpkin, herbs and chestnuts, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add tomato, beans and stock to the pan.
• Stir, then cover and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes or until pumpkin is cooked through.
• Wrap pasta in a clean tea towel and, using a rolling pin, bash into pieces. Add to the pan with the seasonal greens and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Add a little more stock or water to loosen, if necessary.
• Season soup and divide among serving bowls. Scatter with basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with crusty bread.