Known as the chef who inspired Jamie Oliver, Italian-born Gennaro Contaldo has also worked with Antonio Carluccio at his Neal Street restaurant in London and as co-presenter of the BBC2 Two Greedy Italians series.

Contaldo has published several cookbooks, including the recently released Slow Cook Italian, from which he shares the following recipe for zuppa di barbabietole e sedano rapa (beetroot and celeriac soup).

Slow Cook Italian by Gennaro Contaldo, Harper Collins, $39.99.

“These are two of my wife Liz’s favourite vegetables, so she decided to combine them while testing recipes for this book,” he writes in the recipe introduction.

“Wow, what a taste! And so simple to make; just put all the vegetables in a pot and leave to slow cook until tender, whizz and serve. Can be enjoyed at any time, but it’s an elegant soup for a dinner party.”

Zuppa di barbabietole e sedano rapa

Ingredients

500g celeriac, peeled and cut into large chunks
150g beetroot, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 large potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 celery stalk with leaves, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1.3 litres (5½ cups) vegetable broth (see recipe below)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a handful of parsley, finely chopped
natural yogurt, to serve (optional)

Method

Put all the vegetables in a large saucepan together with the broth, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover with a lid and simmer gently for 1 hour, until tender.

Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in individual bowls, sprinkled with parsley and a swirl of yogurt if desired.

Serves 4

Brodo di verdure (vegetable broth)

“Vegetable broth or stock is at the base of many traditional Italian dishes – risotto, soups and stews – or it can simply be served as a soup,” writes Contaldo.

“Ready-made stock can be very good, but nothing beats the fresh flavour of your own homemade broth, made with the freshest of vegetables. It is worth making a double quantity and freezing in batches. Being the lightest of all broths, it is popular for weaning babies or if you are feeling fragile, possibly with the addition of some tortellini or pastina (small pasta shapes). Or you can simply drink it as it is!”

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled
1 courgette (zucchini)
1 carrot
1 celery stalk with leaves
1 leek
1 potato, peeled
2 cherry tomatoes
handful of parsley, including stalks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt

Method

Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan, add 1.5 litres water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 1¼ hours. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Remove from the heat and strain the broth through a fine sieve, pressing down well on the vegetables with the back of a spoon. Serve hot, or reheat, adding some small pasta shapes to cook in the broth if you like.

Serves 4