Tuscan White Bean Veggie Soup

Soften 2/3 of the butter in the microwave in a small bowl. Add 1/2 the garlic to the butter and stir to combine. Cut slices into the bake-at-home ciabatta, 2 cm apart, ensuring you cut almost to the base but not the whole way through. Spoon the garlic butter into each slice. Wrap the bread in foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the garlic butter has melted and the bread is warmed through.

Heat the remaining butter and a dash of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the leek, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the rosemary and the remaining garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the cannellini beans, crumble in the vegetable stock cube and add the boiling water (check ingredients list for amount). Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

While the soup is cooking, combine the flaked Parmesan cheese (use suggested amount) and the plain flour in a medium bowl. Season with pepper, then sprinkle onto the prepared oven tray to form one round circle per person. Transfer to the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Using a stick blender, blend the soup in the saucepan until only small chunks remain. Taste and add a pinch of salt. TIP: Salt helps to bring out the flavours in the soup. Slice the lemon into wedges.
TIP: If you don’t have a stick blender, leave the soup as is (it's just as delicious when chunky).