SLOW AND Steady

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 410g can crushed tomatoes
• 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
• 2 cups water (approximately)
• ¾ cup dried small pasta tubes
• 150g green beans, trimmed, cut into 3cm lengths
• ½ cup frozen green peas
• ¼ small cabbage, shredded
• ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan
• ½ cup loosely packed small fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 Place garlic, onion, celery, carrot, vegetable stock, tomato paste and tomatoes in a 4.5-litre slow cooker. Cook, covered, on Low for 6 hours.

2 Add cannellini beans and enough of the water to make a thick soup consistency. Cook, covered, on Low for a further 2 hours. Season to taste.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a saucepan