BROCCOLI & PEA SOUP WITH MINTY RICOTTA

Broccoli & pea soup with minty ricotta image

Make this broccoli and pea soup for lunch or to serve as a starter, and top it with minty ricotta and pine nuts. A healthy dish, it delivers three of your five-a-day

Provided by Esther Clark

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil , plus extra for drizzling
1 onion , finely chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 garlic clove , crushed
200g broccoli , broken into florets
150g fresh or frozen peas
500ml hot low-salt vegetable stock
1 lemon , zested and juiced
100g ricotta
1 tbsp finely chopped mint , plus a few whole leaves to serve
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 slices bread , to serve (optional)

Steps:

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole pot and fry the onion and celery for 10 mins. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min more.
Add the broccoli, peas and stock, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10-15 mins, or until the broccoli is tender. Tip the mix into a blender and blitz until smooth, or use a hand blender. Season. Stir in half the lemon zest and juice, then taste, and add the rest, if you like.
Mix the ricotta with the mint and a pinch of salt. Ladle the soup into bowls, then top with the minty ricotta and the pine nuts. Drizzle over the extra olive oil and scatter with mint leaves, then serve with sliced bread, if you like.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 395 calories, Fat 19 grams fat, SaturatedFat 5 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 31 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 11 grams sugar, Fiber 12 grams fiber, Protein 19 grams protein, Sodium 1.1 milligram of sodium