Fast and Simple Minestrone with Cheesy Garlic Bread Toasties

200g maccheroni, cooked according to packet instructions, al dente is best, the pasta should be a little firm
1 small onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced, click here for a very good video about dicing 
2 celery sticks, diced
1 sprig rosemary, washed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 700ml bottle passatta, Mutti brand is our favourite.
1 litre chicken stock
2 tbs olive oil

Add 2 tbs olive oil to a large saucepan and heat on medium heat.

Add onion, celery and carrot.

Fry for 10 minutes or until the vegetables soften.

Add garlic fry for 1 minute.

Add stock, passata and rosemary and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove rosemary.

Add pasta and heat until warmed through.

Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Try this with more than one sprig of rosemary for a more intense flavour, some people prefer not to any use rosemary.

Try this with half of the vegetables pureed and half left diced for a thicker consistency.

If you have time….

1) Take great care when dicing the vegetables, 3mm dice work very well.

2) Serve the soup with the cheesy garlic bread toastie

8 slices sourdough bread
100g parmesan cheese, grated
100g cheddar cheese, grated
100g mozzarella cheese, grated
50g butter
Pinch of onion powder, pinch of garlic powder

Switch on the toasty maker.

Combine the butter and garlic and onion powder and stir to combine.

Smear the garlic butter mixture on four of the slices of bread.

Sprinkle the cheeses over the garlic butter.

Place the lid slice of bread on each toasty.

Smear garlic butter on the top each outer slice of bread.

Place in the toasty maker and leave until crunchy and the cheese has melted.

Slice each toasty into fingers, cutting lengthwise for longer fingers.