Tuscan Bean Soup with Crusty Toasted Bread

Preheat the oven to 180C and bring a pan of water to ther boil, add the stock and stir until disolved.

Peel and coarsely chop the carrot, celery, brown onion and butternut squash.

Finely chop the garlic.

Grate the parmesan.

Crush the fennel seed and set aside.

In a saucepan, add the olive oil and heat.

Add the carrots, potato, squash, celery, garlic and onion. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the stock* and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are nearly tender.

Add the beans and simmer until they are heated through.

Add the fennel seed.

Add the baguette into the oven to cook until golden.

Stir the basil pesto into the soup.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the baguette from the over and slice. Toss some of it in the bottom of the serving bowls.

Ladle the soup into the serving bowls.

Serve the remaining bread alongside the soup.

Garnish the soup with parmesan.