Minestrone

Ingredients:

• Broth - 1 liter
• Ham - 200 g
• Zucchini - 200 g
• Tomatoes in juice - 200 g
• Parmesan cheese - 100 g
• Potatoes - 4 pcs.
• Bell pepper - 1 pc.
• Carrots - 1 pc.
• Onion - 1 pc.
• Tomato paste - 2 tbsp. l.
• Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp.
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Hot pepper - 1 cm pod without seeds
• Salt, ground black pepper - to taste
• Dill and parsley - optional

Preparation:

1. Cut the ham and carrots into 1 cm cubes, and finely chop the onion and hot pepper. Lightly fry the ham in a frying pan with vegetable oil, add the onion, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots and hot pepper, pour in a glass of broth, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste to the tomatoes for a brighter color and blend them. Add to the vegetables and simmer for another 5 minutes.
3. Cut the potatoes, bell pepper, and zucchini into 1 cm cubes. Transfer all the vegetables from the frying pan to a saucepan, add the potatoes, bell pepper, and zucchini, and top up with broth, then water to bring the soup to the 4 liter mark. Be careful not to overdo it with the liquid—the soup should be very thick. Bring the soup to a boil, season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add finely chopped herbs and garlic to the soup, simmer for another 5 minutes, and turn off the heat. Let the soup steep for 10-15 minutes. When serving, sprinkle the minestrone with grated cheese.