Pasta, potato and chickpea soup

Serves: people

This deliciously filling one-pot makes a cheap and healthy vegan dinner. Perfect for a weekday meal! Save time by making a large batch of soffritto mixture by doubling or trebling the amount of vegetables, then freeze individual portion for up to 3 months to use as a base for stews or bolognese sauce.

INGREDIENTS

2 carrots
1 celery stick
1 potato
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
325 g conchiglie or other small pasta shapes
350 ml vegetable stock
400 g tin chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon Chilli flakes
Sea salt
black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel the potato, dice it and then cover with water and set aside. Dilute the tomato puree in a little water and set aside. Make the vegetable stock.
Peel the carrots, onion and garlic and wash the celery and parsley. Finely chop all these vegetables to make a soffritto mixture.
Warm the oil in a large pan and add the soffritto mixture and a pinch of salt. Fry gently for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the mixture sticking to the pan.
Drain the diced potato and add to the pan together with the chilli flakes. Stir well to combine and cook for a couple of minutes stirring frequently. Add the tomato puree and chickpeas and cook for 1 minute.
Cover the vegetables with the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add a litre of water to the pan and bring it to the boil. Pour in the pasta, season with a little salt and cook as per packet instructions.
Season with a generous grinding of black pepper and serve hot.