Recipe Minestra is Italian for soup. The suffix "one" denotes some outsize quality, like pannetone, or my favorite, Toblerone. Minestrone is, accordingly, a large soup. In Provence, you find a very similar soup "La soupe au pistou", and of course pistou is related to pesto.  If you want to make soupe au pistou, purée your basil in the food processor with extra raw garlic and olive oil. Add the pistou before serving. Cheese is not usually added to soupe au pistou.

Minestone (serves 6 to 8)

• 1/2 cup dry beans (Great Northern)
  you may substitute a little can of beans of your choice, of course
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 rounded teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 rounded tablespoon grated garlic
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1/2 cup little pasta of your choice
• 1 ripe tomato, diced
• 1 small green or red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1/2 cup green beans, chopped
• 1/2 little can tomato paste (about 3 tablespoons)
• a lot of fresh basil, chopped
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Soak the beans overnight. You may cheat and skip the soaking, but they will take a long time to cook.
Simmer the beans with enough unsalted water until done. Keep aside.

Cook the pasta until just right. Rinse and drain.

In your soup  pot, heat the oil on a medium fire.
Throw in the mustard seeds. Rock the pot a bit until the seeds start popping.
Throw in the garlic and stir carefully until the garlic is a bit golden.
Add onion, carrot, and celery.
Keep frying gently, but not too slowly either.
Add the bay leaf, thyme, black pepper, salt and red wine.

Cover with the broth and water.
Simmer until the biggest piece of carrot is done, but not mushy.
Add the cooked beans and their liquid.
Add the cooked pasta.
Add the tomato, bell pepper, zucchini and green bean.
Regain a gentle boil.

Now you need to be in control. Add the tomato paste after dissolving it with a bit of soup.
If the soup seems to thin, add more paste. If too thick, add water.
Correct the salt now. If the soup seems "flat", add some raw grated garlic.
You're done. Don't  overcook the vegetables.
Before serving, add the basil.
Top each bowl with freshly grated parmesan.