Serves: 4
Total Calories: 357

2 cups homemade Chicken Broth or a mix of half store-bought broth and half water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 small zucchini (about 1 1/4 pounds), scrubbed and chopped
3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup broken spaghetti

PESTO
2 to 3 cloves large garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Prepare the broth, if necessary. Then, pour the oil into a medium pot. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat until the onions are tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and 4 cups water. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2 Stir in the pasta. Simmer 15 minutes more.

3 Prepare the pesto: In a food processor, chop the garlic, basil, and parsley until very fine. Add the cheese and gradually drizzle in the olive oil to make a thick paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4 Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl with a whisk, beat about 1 cup of the hot soup into the pesto. Stir the mixture into the pot with the remaining soup. Let rest 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with additional cheese.

From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 357
Calories from Fat: 165

More Recipes from the Cook'n in Italy Cookbook:
* Soups
Antonietta’s Bean Soup
Bean and Mushroom Soup
Bread Noodles in Broth
Chicken Broth
Chickpea Soup from Puglia
Chickpea and Pasta Soup
Chunky Fish Soup
Cooked Water Soup
Creamy Bean Soup
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Creamy Fennel Soup
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Egg Crepes in Broth
Egg Soup from Pavia
Escarole and Little Meatballs Soup
Fontina, Bread, and Cabbage Soup
Friulian Barley and Bean Soup
Green Bean and Sausage Soup
Leek, Tomato, and Bread Soup
Lentil and Fennel Soup
Lentil and Greens Soup
Ligurian Chickpea and Porcini Soup
Married Soup
Meat Broth
Milan-Style Pasta and Beans
Mushroom and Potato Soup
Mussels and Clams in Tomato Broth
Pasta and Beans
Pureed Lentil Soup with Croutons
Red Pepper Soup
Roman Egg Drop Soup
Seafood, Pasta, and Bean Soup
Semolina Fritters in Broth
Sicilian Tomato Barley Soup
Spinach, Lentil, and Rice Soup
Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup
Tuscan Fish Soup
Tyrolean Bread Dumplings
Vegetable Soup with Pesto
Winter Squash Soup
Zucchini Pesto Soup
Zucchini and Potato Soup
Zucchini and Tomato Soup