Minestra -mixed vegetable soup

Come winter this vegetable soup is a common aroma inside Maltese homes. There are alot of versions, and everyone adds or discards whatever vegetables they like. This is how I make mine:

potatoes,
onion,
zucchini,
carrots,
cabbage,
cauliflower,
turnip,
pumpkin,
barley

Sweat the onion in some olive oil, then add some tomato paste for colour, salt, pepper and finally all the vegetables (cleaned and chopped) and water to cover. Let it boil on a low heat and once all the vegetables are cooked, either serve it as it is or mash it with the potato masher (this is how I serve it cause of the kids). This will certainly warm you up after a cold day. My husband likes to boil maltese sausage and eat it after with some maltese bread and 'gbejniet' (maltese cheese).