“Cara Brunetti of Hamilton, Virginia, writes: “I come from a long line of great cooks. My father owns an Italian market in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where my mother gets a lot of the ingredients she uses in her wonderful dishes. My mother-in-law is a reciper developer, and I’ve been known to sit next to my great-aunt Stella with a pen and paper as she details her amazing recipes. I live far from home now, but I reconnect with my family traditions every evening when I make dinner.”

Pureeing the soup gives it a smooth richness — without any cream.

“For a minestrone that is more a stew than a soup, use the larger amount of beans and pasta.
Note: These instructions assume the beans or chickpeas are already cooked. You can soak and cook your own, or use canned (well rinsed and well drained).”