6 January 2025

Minestrone Recipe by Andreas Löbbecke, Historian, Autograph Expert, and Connoisseur of Historical Cookbooks

Fashion.at (F): How did you prepare your minestrone, and what ingredients did you use?

Andreas Löbbecke (AL): I simply worked with the vegetables I had at home. I started by sautéing carrots, yellow beets, celery, and celery sticks. Then, I added tomato paste and vegetable stock, along with various spices. Toward the end, I incorporated potatoes, pre-cooked beans, spaghettini, salt, and pepper.

F: That sounds delicious! It’s fascinating how minestrone doesn’t have a single, definitive recipe. Even in Italy, the soup's country of origin, there are regional variations. I’ve read that minestrone was already a popular dish in Roman times, even before the birth of Christ. Its international popularity, however, seems to have grown alongside the rise of Italian cuisine in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its adaptability and hearty nature have made it a beloved dish worldwide, especially in autumn and winter when a warm, filling soup is particularly appealing.

Where did you find your recipe?

AL: To be honest, I didn’t follow a specific recipe. Minestrone is like potato goulash—you know the basic idea, and the variations come naturally based on the ingredients you have on hand.

F: As a historian and autograph expert, you’ve probably come across many handwritten cookbooks in your career. How many would you estimate?

AL: Around 200, I’d say. But my interest isn’t purely professional. I also have several handwritten cookbooks in my personal collection, including a few that have been passed down in my own family.

Image: The picture on the left shows the peeled vegetables such as carrots, celery, potatoes, etc. for the minestrone with vegetable peeler on a wooden table. The picture on the right shows the hearty minestrone garnished with fresh parsley.