Corsican Minestra

Entered for safe-keeping. From waitrose.com. The ham hocks or gammon are good substitutes for air-dried Corsican ham. (Gammon is a cured or smoked ham, or the lower part of a side of bacon.) Serve with a hearty Portuguese red wine, such as Douro Callabriga.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 5  garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1  leek, cleaned and cut into evenly sized pieces
• 250  g  dried borlotti beans (1/2 lb) or 250  g cranberry beans, soaked overnight in cold water (1/2 lb)
• 450  g new potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450  g yellow fin potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450  g  red potatoes (1 lb, 1/4-in dice) or 450  g white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-cm dice (1 lb, 1/4-in dice)
• 250  g carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm dice (1/2 lb, 1/4-in dice)
• 2  celery ribs, cut into 1cm dice (1/4-in dice)
• 1  beefsteak tomatoes or 1  slicing tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 1  rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2  liters water (2 qts & 3 oz)
• 1 1⁄4 kg smoked ham hock (2.64 lbs) or 1  kg  smoked  gammon steak, cubed (2.2 lbs.)
• 250  g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1cm pieces (1/2 lb, 1/4-in dice)
• 2  courgettes (1/4-in dice) or 2  zucchini, cut into 1cm dice (1/4-in dice)
• 500  g green cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced (1.1 lb)
• 75  g  dried tagliatelle pasta noodles, broken into 5cm pieces (2.65 oz)
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh oregano
• 10  g flat leaf parsley, chopped (.35 oz)
• 500  ml water (1 qt.)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a really large pan, add the onion, garlic and leek, and cook gently for 3–4 minutes.
2. Drain the soaked beans and add to the pan with the potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato, rosemary, dried oregano and 2 liters water. Add the ham hock or gammon to the pan and press the pieces down into the soup so they are totally submerged. Bring everything to a simmer and leave to cook, uncovered, for 1 hour.
3. Add the green beans, courgettes, cabbage, tagliatelle and fresh oregano and simmer for a further 15–20 minutes until the soup is thick.
4. If using ham hock, remove the pieces, pull the meat off the bone and tear it into small chunks. Discard the skin and bone and stir the ham back into the soup.
5. Add the parsley and up to 500ml hot water to loosen it slightly.
6. Season with pepper.
7. Serve in large, warmed soup bowls, drizzled with a little more olive oil.