White bean soup and spinach

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion , finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 x 400g cans white beans

2 tablespoon tomatoes paste

1 litre of chicken stock

salt & pepper


To Finish

2 Tablespoon extra virgin oil

500g spinach

2 tablespoons grated parmesan


Heat Olive oil in large pot, add onions, celery and garlic and cook for 10 minutes until softened. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot with the tomato paste, hot stock. Cook gently, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Salt & Pepper to taste.

Remove a ladle or two of the beans and mash or puree them, return to the soup to thicken it.

For the greens , heat the oil in a frying a pan, add the leaves and a dash of water and cook over a high heat, tossing constantly until the wilted. Drain well and roughly chop. Add back to the soup and serve with parmesan cheese on top.