3 pints water
1 pound green string beans
4 medium-size potatoes
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 pound vermicelli
3 cloves garlic, mashed
2 tablespoons sweet basil
1 peeled tomato

grated cheese

Let water come to a boil, add beans cut int 1-inch pieces, the potatoes cubed, and tomatoes; season and let boil fairly quick.

When vegetables are almost cooked, add vermicelli and finish cooking gently.

Combine the garlic, basil and tomato and make a smooth paste.

Add about 3 tablespoons of the soup liquid, then mix with rest of soup.

Serve with grated cheese.

Serves 4.

This recipe was taken from "The Complete Italian Cook Book: La Cucina" by Rose L. Sorce. It was published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1953. For the entire copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org.... Image -- Vegetable merchant of Venice, 18th century.

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