Minestrone soup with pork meatballs

Instructions

1 Heat oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry celery and carrots. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Cut leek in half lengthways and wash to remove dirt. Finely slice leek. Rinse to remove excess dirt. Add leek to vegetables. Stir, cover then simmer for a few minutes.

2 Add tomatoes and water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.

3 To make meatballs, place mince, garlic and egg in a bowl. Mix well with a fork then use wet hands to shape into teaspoon-sized meatballs.

4 Drop meatballs into soup and add beans. Stir to mix. Turn up heat while stirring to keep balls separate. They will rise to the top when cooked.

5 Remove balls and divide among 4 deep soup bowls. Ladle soup over and sprinkle with a little parmesan to serve.