Tuscan Bean soup on Sunday afternoon

It's Sunday afternoon.

My handsome husband is napping and I am sitting looking out our window at the city bathed in the pale wintry sunlight, rereading my recipe notebook. There's a slight fog in the air and it reminds me of my childhood when the slight fog was the smoke from our log fire or in autumn of burning the leaves. It reminds me of Mum calling us in from the garden, fingers tingling with the cold, cheeks pink from the air, to wash our hands for dinner. It reminds me of the warm fire inside, the feeling of safety as the night and cold fell darker and colder outside the windows. 
ahhhh....the good ole days. 
But we're living in good days now too! 
This afternoon for early dinner we will be eating homemade, hot, wholesome Tuscan Bean soup.


Tuscan Bean Soup
Serves 3 - 4


2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp rosemary
1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
2 x 400g tin of cannellini beans
275 ml hot chicken stock
green pesto optional for serving


Slice the onion and garlic. Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently cook the onion and garlic until they are clear and softened. They should not brown.
Drain and rinse the beans. 
Add half the beans and the tomatoes to the saucepan. Stir. 
Then blend together, either with a handheld mouli or in a food processor or blender.
Tip back into the saucepan and add the hot stock and the rest of the beans. 
Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed
Heat gently until piping hot.
Serve with a dollop of green pesto or a swig of olive oil on top of the soup and a piece of good bread slathered with good butter.