Una zucca is usually a pumpkin or marrow but it can apply to anything in the squash family – this flavoursome soup is hearty and comforting at any time of year
By Mario Matassa
Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• a few tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled, finely sliced
• 2 leeks, finely sliced
• 1 small fresh chilli, finely sliced
• 500g butternut squash, peeled, seeds scooped out, chopped into rough chunks
• 1 large potato, peeled, chopped into rough chunks
• 1.2 litres of vegetable stock
• 250g prawns, peeled
Instructions:
1 Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion, leeks and chilli and fry until softened. Add the butternut squash and potato chunks to the pan, then top up with the stock. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft.
2 Add around three-quarters of the prawns to the soup and cook for 2-3 minutes, according to size, until cooked through. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then blend until smooth. Ladle the soup into warmed serving bowls and garnish with the remaining prawns.
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