Vegetable minestrone

serves 6
ingredients
pinch of saffron strands
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 celery stick, sliced
2 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
600ml/1pt chicken stock
850g/13⁄4lb canned chopped
tomatoes
50g/2oz frozen peas
50g/2oz soup pasta
1 teaspoon caster sugar
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
• Soak the saffron strands in
1 tablespoon boiling water. Leave
to stand for 10 minutes.
• Put the onion, leek, celery, carrots
and garlic in a large pan. Add the
stock, bring to the boil, cover and
simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, the saffron and
its soaking liquid and the peas.
Bring back to the boil and add the
pasta. Simmer for 10 minutes until
the pasta is al dente.
• Sprinkle in the sugar, and season
with salt and pepper. Stir through
and serve hot.