I’ve made it my mission to use up my home grown dried borlotti beans!
They’re my favourite bean. They’re eye-catching.

And they dry and store really well.


I based this soup on a Diana Henry recipe but I only put in half the winter squash/pumpkin and used arborio rice instead of farro or spelt – because that was all I had to hand. I guess you could also use cooked pearl barley instead.
I used half of one of my Turk’s Turban squash. It’s the first time I’ve cooked with one and I was shocked to find out how impenetrable the skin is.
Usually I leave my favourite thin skinned Hokkaido squash unpeeled but this rogue needed pre baking in the oven for ten or so minutes before I could cut the skin off and render it edible!
It tastes delicious though and I may grow them again as they are pretty and a good size for a small household.
I added twigs of thyme and a couple of bay leaves to flavour the soup which I then removed.
Diana suggests sage leaves fried in a little olive oil or fresh chopped parsley.

A substantial rich soup in the Italian style.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 sticks celery finely chopped
- 450 grams pumpkin or winter squash, discard the seeds and peel if the skin is tough before cutting into small cubes
- 1 tin drained borlotti beans or 300g of cooked borlottis
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
- 1 litre vegetable stock I use marigold bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 50 grams arborio rice or spelt grain or farro
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley or eight whole sage leaves fried until crisp in olive oil
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Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and add finely chopped onion, pumpkin cubes and diced celery. Cook until the vegetables have a little colour then add a splash of water and some salt and pepper - cover the pan and let the vegetables cook over a low heat for five minutes.
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Add the tomato purée, stock, rice (or spelt grain/farro) and bay leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes (or until the grains are cooked), adding the beans five minutes before the end. Check for seasoning.
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If using sage, fry the leaves whole in a little olive oil - be careful they crisp up quickly and can burn easily. Then add to soup. If you prefer parsley add it directly to the soup. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top.



