Serves 5:
a handful of beans (e.g. Borlotti)
½ head celery
1 small bunch of parsley
200 g Swiss chard or spinach
1 slice pumpkin
a handful of French beans
a piece of sweet pepper
½ head fennel
1 savoy cabbage
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 tomatoes
3 leeks
2 courgettes
2 potatoes
a few basil leaves
300 g fresh chestnuts
500 g fresh breadcrumbs
500 g white flour
1 espresso cup of oil
2 eggs
Trim and wash all the vegetables and cut them into small pieces. Put them in a large pan, add the oil. Cover the vegetables with cold water and bring to the boil. Leave to cook for two to three hours. Meanwhile, make a dumpling dough with the breadcrumbs, flour and eggs. Add a little water to make a soft dough. Remove the chestnuts’ outer skin and inner peel. Add the chestnuts to the soup. Form small dumplings using a teaspoon and tip them into the soup. Allow to cook for a few minutes, then serve the soup piping hot with a good sprinkling of grated cheese.