Minestrone with Home Made Pesto

It seems about time to post my first recipe. So here goes- the recipe we came up with last night for dinner- Minestrone with home made pesto. It turned out very well so I though I would share.
This makes enough for a week- so tone down the quantities if you like.

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Large Leeks- Thoroughly washed, quartered and chopped
2 White Onions- Diced
4 Sticks Celery- Diced
28 oz Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
8 cups Vegetable Stock
14 oz Tin of Kidney Beans
2 cups frozen peas
2 zucchini- diced

For the Pesto

2 large handfuls fresh basil
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Heat the oil in a large soup pot- through in the onions and leeks and cook for 8 minutes, add the celery and cook for a further 5 minutes. Through in the tomatoes and stock bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in kidney beans, peas and zucchini and cook for a further 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and prepare the pesto.
For the pesto throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until fairly smooth.

Ladle the soup into bowls- stir in 2 Tbsps of pesto and top with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

Enjoy!