gennaro and carluccio's borlotti bean soup

Soup is a funny thing. You naturally think of it as a winter staple, but I think we're slowly developing a fair clutch of summer versions that work just as well after a hot July day as a wet and woolly November one.

Gazpacho is an obvious choice, but I've noticed the summer versions tend to fall into two styles: Spicy Asian-influenced broths, like Vietnamese beef noodle soup and Tom Norrington-Davies' classic chicken noodle soup with mint and lemon, and those that can trace their lineage to minestrone. Bill Granger's puy lentil soup is a good example, as is tonight's fare - Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio's borlotti bean soup:

I think the latter versions work mainly because they're predominantly tomato-based, and they manage to retain their acidity which keeps the soup fresh and vibrant, and perfect for warmer weather.

sauces
fresh borlotti bean soup alla maruzzara - Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio, Two Greedy Italians, from Delicious, June 2011, p38