Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz bunch fresh basil
• 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil (not extra virgin)
• 4 large ripe vine tomatoes
• skinned
• quartered
• seeds removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
• 1 small onion
• finely chopped
• 1 stick celery
• trimmed and finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely sliced
• 1 slender
• young leek
• trimmed and finely sliced
• 3 small courgettes
• trimmed and cut into 1cm/½in dice
• 1.5 litres/2½ pints chicken stock
• fresh or made with 1 chicken stock cube
• 50g/1¾oz dried spaghetti
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 200g/7oz fresh peas (or frozen out of season)
• 200g/7oz freshly podded baby broad beans (or frozen out of season)
• 200g/7oz green beans
• trimmed and cut into 1cm/½in lengths
• flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 40g/1½oz parmesan

Directions

• To make the basil oil
• strip the basil leaves from the stalks and place in a large heatproof bowl. Half fill a large bowl with cold water and add a few ice cubes. Boil a kettle full of fresh water and pour over the basil. Immediately drain in a colander and plunge into the bowl of iced water. This will help set the vibrant green colour. Leave for five minutes.
• Drain the cooled basil leaves in a colander and tip out onto a clean tea towel. Pat gently until as dry as possible then tip into a jug. Add the oil and blend to a purée using a stick blender. (You can also do this in a small food processor.) Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour into a small bowl and set aside for at least 30 minutes. (You can then press the basil and oil through a fine sieve if you like
• or leave it just as it is.)
• To prepare the soup
• heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan or frying pan and fry the onion and celery very gently for five minutes
• or until softened but not coloured
• stirring often. While the onion is cooking
• Cut the tomato flesh into roughly 1cm/½in pieces.
• Add the garlic
• leek and courgettes to the pan with the onion. Stir over a low heat for a minute or two
• then stir in the freshly chopped tomatoes. Pour over the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
• Break the spaghetti into 2-3cm/1in short lengths and drop into the pan. Add the tomato purée and return to the boil. Cook for eight minutes
• stirring occasionally. Add the peas
• broad and green beans and cook for a further five minutes
• or until the pasta is just tender.
• Season the soup with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serve in deep bowls.
• Drizzle with the basil oil and either grate or shave the parmesan with a vegetable peeler over the top. (Any leftover basil oil can be covered and kept in the fridge for three days. Allow stand at room temperature before using.)