I’ve had this recipe for so long I can’t remember where it came from. I do remember the first time I made it though – I was sceptical, as I have never been a huge fan of soups, so I am always just a little bit more in love with the Italians for creating this fake soup! Minestrone, in it’s chunkiness, is the exception to my household’s ‘no soup for you’ rule. Filled with veg and mucho flavour, it’s taken on somewhat of a cult status! And I personally take it as a challenge to find the cutest soup pasta shapes to keep in the cupboard especially for Minestrone!

We might have just kicked off Autumn, but the tomatoes are still coming out of the veggie patch in great hoards. We were given some enormous and juicy beasts from our friend with an epic patch, so I used them to make this tart. Tomatoes really are the epitome of summer and there’s something so comforting about tomatoes warm from the sun. This sweet and salty tart is a simple celebration of the humble tommy!

I googled the meaning of ‘primavera’ last night. It translates as “early spring”. Using my limited Italian skills, I always thought it meant ‘first green’ because green is the colour that bursts in Spring! Meh, it works either way, because this Risotto Primavera is spring in a bowl! Bright and fresh and full of my favourite spring vegetable – asparagus!

I have an abundant rainbow chard plant in my garden. It lives on neglect. And thrives! Every few weeks, I hack at it and make something for dinner - gozleme, spanakopita, these spinach & feta parcels! Best served with a BIG DOLLOP of Tomato Relish!