Minestrone Soup

 Vegetables (carrots, onions, runner beans, peas and potatoes but anything else will do!)
1tbsp oil
1tbsp chopped sage or basil
Half tsp celery salt (optional)
Tin chopped tomatoes
3pints chicken stock
2 handfuls pasta
Seasoning
 Parsley to garnish


Chop up six large carrots, a large onion, a handful of runner beans/peas and six potatoes.  Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan and fry the vegetables for a few minutes with a table spoon of fresh finely chopped sage (or two teaspoons of dried) and half a teaspoon of celery salt (you can add chopped celery but I don't because Andy doesn't like it!).  Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and 3 pints of chicken stock and seasoning.  Bring to the boil then simmer for about an hour and a half.  Add two handfuls of pasta.  Cook for a further half hour.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve with freshly cut bread and grated cheese.

You can fry bacon in the pan before frying the vegetables and use basil instead of sage to get a slightly different taste.  You can also throw in whatever vegetables you have available.