This is a lovely soup that combines creamy cannellini beans with smoky paprika, ham hock and a soffrito base.
I've used chicken stock for extra flavour, although you could easily use vegetable stock and omit the ham hock, if you'd like to make a vegan version.
My wonderful friend, Hellie, bought me some fabulous gnocchetti; which is a small shell shaped pasta, that is perfect for soups. I'm currently throwing it in every soup I make, but any small pasta or broken pasta will do.
Serves 4-6
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion
2 celery sticks
1 carrot
2 garlic cloves
3 large (preferably ripe) tomatoes
1-2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
75g ham hock
400g tin of cannellini beans
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
800ml chicken stock
Few sprigs of thyme (optional)
50g small pasta (or larger pasta broken into pieces)
Seasoning
To garnish:
Flat leaf parsley
- Cut the onion, carrots and celery into small dice.
- Cut the tomatoes into small dice and set aside.
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans.
- Peel the garlic and grate with a fine grater (or crush it directly into the pan at step 8).
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pan. Add the chopped vegetables (except the tomatoes) and stir well.
- Sauté over a low heat until the onions are translucent.
- Add the crushed or finely grated garlic and sweet smoked paprika and cook for further 2-3 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, cannellini beans, thyme leaves (if using), ham hock and stock. Stir to combine and then season well with salt and black pepper.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Serve with chopped flat leaf parsley.
