Minestrone

Ingredients

some black pepper
3/4 cup navy
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic
1 onion coarsely
3 carrots in
1 leek thinly
3 stalks celery in
1 cup tightly packed basil
1 teaspoon thyme
14 oz italian tomatoes with juice
3 cups water
3 cups vegetable stock
2 cups green beans
1/2 cup orzo
1 cup boiling water
2 zucchini in
3 cups cabbage cored
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 romano cheese
1 soak the navy beans overnight
1/2 cup basil
2 cups boiling water

Instructions

Author's note: For a friend of mine, a superb minestrone always contains one s ecret ingredient: a tablespoon of sugar to enhance all of the flavors. She may be right.