Making Minestra di Porro Patate e Carote

I learned to make this simple yet incredibly delicious soup at my grandmother Elena's kitchen. Her garden was just outside the back door. She grew everything she needed to make all the family's meals from scratch. Even the  chickens for a Sunday dinner were raised in her yard. I had to pick the grass to feed the chickens, and collect the eggs. The Sunday dinners with all my family are some of my favorite memories.

The beauty of this soup is that you can interpret the basic ingredients to fit your individual tastes, or even to fit  what you have available in your home. I still keep pots of herbs growing in my home in Connecticut all year round because for me, there is nothing like the clean bright flavors of fresh herbs.

Begin by thoroughly washing one leek. Slice it up to where it turns green into very thin slices. Sautee the leeks in a little olive oil and butter, seasoning it with salt and pepper. Chop two white potatoes and three carrots and add them to the pan. Add water to cover everything. Bring to a boil and add in a handful of parsley. You don't need to chop the parsley, it will cook down nicely. When all the vegetables are soft you can blend it all together. Ecco qua! You are in for a healthy treat.

We would enjoy a bowl of this soup with some homemade bread, salad and a boiled egg for dinner. Our main meal was in the afternoon, so dinner was light and healthy. Of course a glass of homemade Prosecco was part of the dinner too!