Food Wine Cook Italian - Zuppa - Soup  

Tuscann bean and black cabbage soup

Ancient Leek Soup

Stracciatella egg drop alla Romana

Zuppa Pavese a classic egg and bread soup

Minestra of rice and vegetables

Elizabeth's Minestrone

Lentil and Rice Soup with sausage

Minestrone Milrnese

Minestrone Napoletano

Minestrone Toscana

Italian food and table fare, for the most part, is thought of as unsophisticated. The Italian vision of soup, their preparation of soup and their serving of soup is food and table fare at its most sophisticated form. They even categorize soups -- zuppa.

To make it easy for the novice cook, foodie we break it down into three categories, Zuppa, Minestrone and Minestra. Zuppa is a light delicate soup of broth and flavoring ingredients. Minestrone is big soup with a multitude of ingredients and flavors. Minestra is thick stew like and may be a one-pot meal.

FAGIOLI CON CAVOLO NERO ALLA TOSCANA                                                   Tuscan-style Beans with Black Cabbage,

Serves 6

• 2/3 lb. dry cannellini beans
• 2 1/2 oz. pancetta
• *2/3 lb. black Tuscan cabbage
• 2/3 lb. ripe tomatoes
• 2/3 lb. carrots
• 1 pinch of thyme
• 1 large onion
• 2 leeks
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 handful of basil leaves
• 1 oz. parsley
• Parmigiano Reggiano to taste
• black pepper to taste
• salt

Soak the beans in a generous quantity of water overnight. The morning after, drain, put them in a pot with 2 qts. of lightly salted cold water, and let cook for l 1/2 hours. Clean, wash and slice the cabbage, carrots, onion and the leeks. Make a battuto with celery, basil and parsley. Thinly slice the pancetta. Put a pot on the stove with the oil, adding everything you have cut and minced (except the cabbage). Sauté over a low flame until the vegetables begin to get tender, then add the cabbage and continue to cook over a low flame so that the vegetables stew well. Add the tomatoes (peeled and chopped), a pinch of thyme and a pinch of pepper, and continue to cook over a low heat, stirring frequently.

Sieve about half the beans and add this purée to the vegetables. Add the mixture to the beans and their broth, stir well and let cook for one more hour. Serve with extra-virgin olive oil on the side.

Note:

Black cabbage may be replaced with Savoy cabbage. Always add more broth if soup gets too thick.

STRACCIATELLA ALLA ROMANA                                                   Roman Egg Drop Soup

• 2 qts. meat broth, seasoned
• 4 eggs
• 4 Oz. Cooked chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• salt pepper to taste

Beat the eggs and spinach with 1/2 Parmigiano, and salt and pepper. Bring the broth to a slow simmer, drop the egg and Parmigiano mixture into the broth while whisking vigorously so that the egg turns into solid drops. Add the remainder of the Parmigiano, mix well and serve immediately.

ZUPPA PAVESE                                                                                                d a A classic egg and bread soup Soup

• 4 large (1/2-in. thick) slices crusty country bread toasted
• 4 tbs. butter
• 8 eggs at room temperature
• 4 tbs. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1 qt. chicken broth

Fry the slices of bread in butter on both sides. Break one egg on top of each of the bread slice without breaking the yolk. Cover with plenty of Parmigiano. Bring the broth to a boil and slowly pour it over the eggs. The eggs will cook fast. Serve immediately.

You may also poach, the eggs before placing them on the slices of bread, and then cover with hot broth.

Zuppa di Porri Antica                                                                         Ancient Leek Soup

This is hearty ancient soup that has survived the ages without change. Zuppa di Porri was an excellent second dish for the third meal of a 16^th century banquet. It was also an excellent warming dish after a winter's hunt. For our hectic high tech 21^st century, this ancient soup, accompanied with a salad, is a quick and easy one-pot meal. However, it still remains an excellent warming dish.

Serves 4

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 leeks
• ½ onion
• 1 small rind Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 cup of meat broth
• 1 cup of milk
• ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• ¼ cup fresjh breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the leeks into circles, and chop the onion. (Cut to the beginning of the green, and save the green for the soup pot.) Melt the butter in a soup, and add the leeks and onion. Sauté until the leeks start to become limp. Then mix in the nutmeg, and add the broth and milk. Simmer for about 20 minutes to bring all the flavors together.

Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano together, and stir the mixture into the soup. Cook for one about another minute or so.

Serve in a bowl with a side of red wine for drizzling.

MINESTRA DI RISO CON ASPARAGI                                                   Rice and Asparagus Soup

• This is a thick soup
• 2 qts. lean meat broth
• 1 lb. fresh, thin green asparagus
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 Bay leaf
• !/2 cup of rice
• 3 tbs. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• salt Salt and pepper to taste
• *Red wine for drizzling, optional

Break off the purple ends of the asparagus. Cut the stems into quarter inch pieces until you get to the floral buds. Keep the buds intact. Put the broth on the fire over medium heat, add the onion and bay leaf, rice and cut up asparagus stems. Bring to a simmer and cook for about fifteen minutes. The rice should be just a little to raw to eat. Add the asparagus flower buds and cook until all is tender. If the liquid in the pot should dry add a little extra broth. Remove from the fire, stir in salt and pepper to taste and the Parmesan cheese. 

*Chef Richie and his uncles drizzle the red wine in this soup. In some mountain areas of Italy, it is the thing to do.

Elizabeth’s Minestrone di Verdure

• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 15 medium-sized potatoes, diced
• Three celery stalks with leaves, diced
• A small bunch parsley chopped
• 1 cup dried beans
• 3cups of water
• 2 quarts broth plus extra for evaporation
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 leeks, white part only, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 &1/2 cups of peeled cubed squash
• The rinds from a wedge of Parmigiano
• 8-ounces of prosciutto, chopped
• 2 ounces smoked pancetta, bacon, chopped
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• ½ cup Croutons
• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to taste

Simmer the beans in a pot with the water lightly salted until tender, about 2 hours.

Place a large pot on the stove with the broth, Parmigiano rind, prosciutto, pancetta, celery carrots, onions, squash, garlic and leeks to cook at a low boil. After 15 minutes add the parsley spinach and potatoes. When all is tender add the cooked beans and stir, top with the croutons and the grated Parmigiano.
 

Minestra di Riso e Lenticchie con cotechino                                            Rice and Lentil Soup with sausage

• 2 qts. Meat Broth plus extra for evaporation what ever
• 1/2pound dried lentils
• 1/2 pound rice
• 4 ounces piece of cotechino or other fat sausage
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 2 stalks of celery diced
• 2 carrots diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Cook the rice and lentils separate. In one pot place the rice and 3 cups of broth, bring to a simmer and cook until nice tender, about 20 minutes, and place it off the fire covered. At the same time put the lentils and 1 quart of broth in a pot with the sausage; bring to a boil and simmer covered for 1 & 1/2 hours. Add the vegetables and cook until all is tender. Stir in the rice and any additional broth that may be needed. Serve with the Parmigiano cheese on the side.

Minestrone Milanese

• 2 quarts of broth
• 1 clove garlic minced very fine
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 3 potatoes diced
• 2 zucchini diced
• 1 can of borlotti beans (red Roman beans)
• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 cup diced or shredded cabbage
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/4-cup sage leaves chopped
• 1/4-cup parsley chopped
• 1/4-cup basil chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano  or Grana Padano cheese

Put the broth into a 4-quart soup pot. Add the minced garlic, onion, celery, and carrot to the broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for ten minuets, add the potatoes and cabbage and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini, peas, beans and cook 10 minutes. Add the sage, parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve hot with cheese on the side.

Minestrone Napoletano

• 2 quart broth
• 1 yellow bell pepper roasted and peeled
• 1 red bell pepper roasted and peeled
• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 3 ounces of diced Pancetta
• 2 whole cloves of garlic
• 1 onion diced
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 stalk of celery diced
• 3/4 cup escarole 1/2 inch dice
• 1 cup ditalini pasta
• 2 potatoes diced
• 1-can plum tomatoes rough dice
• 5 ounces of frozen fava beans
• 2 zucchini sliced
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Grated Pecorino Romano  cheese

Put the oil garlic and poncetta into a 4-quart pot, the garlic until it is brown and remove it from the pot. When the poncetta is browned, add the broth, onion, carrot, celery and the escarole. Simmer for 15 minutes add the potatoes, ditalini, and tomatoes. Simmer for ten minutes and add the fava beans, tomato, and zucchini. Simmer for 10 more minutes and add the parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with the cheese on the side.

Minestrone Toscana                                                                Tuscan Big Soup

• ½ cup dry cannolini beans or ½ cup Tuscan beans (a white bean about half the size of cannolini beans)
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sage leaves
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 onion fine diced
• 1 celery stalk fine diced
• 1 carrot fine diced
• 1 zucchini fine diced
• 1 small leak ( use white part) sliced thin
• 1 yellow squash fine diced
• 1 tomato fine diced
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ½ cup frozen cut green beans or fresh beans
• 1/3 cup rice or 1/3 cup ditalini pasta
• ¾ cup chopped spinach or 5 ounces frozen chopped
• 2 quarts broth
• ¼ cup of oil
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Place the beans and herbs in a pot and cover them with salted water. Cover the pot and simmer for about 2 hours, until beans are al dente. Remove the herbs from the pot, strain the beans and puree half the beans in a blender. Return the pureed beans to the pot with whole beans.

Add the oil to a soup pot. Heat the oil and add the onions, celery and carrots and stir occasionally. Cook for about five minutes and add ½ the broth. Add the rice or ditalini and the tomato, zucchini, leaks, peas and cut beans, and. stir the vegetables and add half the remaining broth to cover the vegetables, simmer until all is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the beans and the chopped spinach. If necessary add more broth to your taste. Cook for five more minutes. Serve with the grated Parmigiano on the side.

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