Spring Vegetable Soup

Spring Vegetable Soup - Artichoke, Pea, Asparagus

Spring Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

1 leek or spring onion, diced
1 carrot, fine dice
1 liter or 4.5 cups of vegetable stock or brodo
couple cloves or garlic
olive oil
3-4 leaves of mint, chopped
small handful of parsley, chopped
optional: 2-3 slices of prosciutto, thinly sliced & then chopped.
salt & pepper
about 2 cups or 2 large handfuls total of cleaned prepped veggies. Use whatever spring vegetables you have: asparagus, artichoke hearts, peas, fava beans (double shelled), leafy greens, spinach, kale, etc.

In a pot over low heat, sweat the garlic, onion & carrot in olive oil for about 10 minutes or so - without color.
Season with salt and pepper. Then add the vegetables in the order to cook, ie: artichoke hearts would go in first as they are the hardest vegetable, followed by peas, asparagus & fava, then spinach, etc. Add in the stock, bring up to simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked properly. Skim any oil that has floated to the top.
Finish with the chopped herbs. Check your seasonings and adjust if needed.

Serve with toasty bread and finish with extra virgin olive oil atop each bowl of soup.

THE holiday dish in Le Marche, Cappelletti in Brodo

Christmas celebrated in Le Marche, Italy is not complete without a heart-warming bowl of cappelletti in brodo or little stuffed hats in broth. I was once told is a dish served for only those you love because it takes so much time & patience to make!  In our area this dish is traditionally served on Christmas day for lunch and New Year's Eve for dinner.

Take the time and make it from scratch, buy the freshest eggs (it will make the color of the dough nice & golden) and enjoy this homemade pasta the way it was meant to be eaten - surrounded by family. (Plus they freeze well so you can have them on-hand, at the ready all winter long!)

Cappelletti in Brodo

Broth:

 1 whole chicken in pieces

1 beef bone
1 tomato
2 stalks of celery, chunked up
2 carrots, chopped in chunks
2 large onions, chopped in chunks
sprig of parsley
water

healthy pinch of salt

 

In a large stock pot add all ingredients and cover with water. Bring to a boil, skim the fat and impurities that come to the top.

Then lower to a very low simmer.
Simmer for 3-4 hours.
Strain stock - discard vegetables.

Now you have a delicious stock to be used in an array of dishes & soups.

Pick the meat off the bone & use in the soup, chicken salad or any other dish.

(Stock will last a week in the fridge or you can freeze in usable portions.)

 

Pasta Dough Recipe:

(serves 4)

400 grams of flour (type 0)

pinch of salt

4 eggs

To make the dough - follow our recipe - click here

Filling:

6 oz. lean beef cubed

4 oz. pork loin, cubed

half a chicken breast, cubed

1 sausage, without casing, cubed

1 carrot, diced finely

salt & pepper

a healthy pinch Nutmeg

handful of grated parmesean cheese

1 egg

pad of butter

glug of olive oil

salt & pepper

In a pot, melt the butter & toss in all the meat & carrot.  

Cook over medium heat, until meat is cooked & 2/3 of the liquid is reduced.

Set aside & let cool.

When the meat is cool toss it into the food processor & pulse until it resembles ground beef - not a paste.

Add the egg, salt & pepper, nutmeg & cheese - mix with your hands.  (It will hold a ball when squeezed together, but not wet)

Roll out pasta dough into about 2mm thick sheets.

It may help at this point to watch this clip on youtube (fast forward to about 6 minutes in): How to close your cappelletti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYUR8KSY8hI)

Cut into 1 inch squares.  Place a pea size amount of filling in each square.

 Fold the square into a triangle - making sure to seal the edges very well! (Super important)

This is when it gets difficult to explain...Then take legs of the triangle & pinch them together.

Make sure not to over-stuff your cappelleti & to seal them properly - otherwise they will burst when you boil them.

Boil in brodo (broth) until they float - if they are fresh about 2-4 minutes. Jason suggests that when they start floating - try one.

To freeze for later: Let the pasta sit & dry overnight in a cool dry room in a single layer with parchment paper underneath.

Approved clip found on youtube - next year we'll have to make our own video - but she makes them right!! (Spoken language: Italian with English subtitles)

Butternut Squash Soup

Fall in a bowl - Butternut Squash Soup would make a perfect dish to add to your Thanksgiving dinner or lunch on a rainy day! It can be served day-of or is even better the next! Which makes it great for Thanksgiving since you can cook it off a day or 2 before, one less thing to do on turkey day! This soup has become a tradition in our house - it's so creamy & delicious. If you want to make this simple soup extra fancy add a few steamed mussels just before you serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

2 medium butternut squash - peeled, diced, seeded
2 medium onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled, diced
2 ribs celery diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
vegetable stock
olive oil
bay leaf
fresh thyme
salt & pepper

In a soup pot heat 2 glugs of olive oil over med low heat, add carrots, celery, onions & garlic - until translucent - about 15-20 minutes.

Then add your squash, bay leaf & a couple sprigs of fresh thyme and salt & pepper. Sautée for another 15-20 min. on med-low heat until the squash starts to fall apart & gets soft.

Cover with vegetable stock & cook another 20 min. until the squash is now totally soft. You may need to adjust the amount - if it looks like it is getting too thick, add a little water.

Blend with a hand blender & then add in about half a cup of heavy cream. (I know the cream sounds heavy, but it really rounds out the vegetables.) Adjust the seasonings to your liking: you can add in cinnamon, nutmeg &/or a clove to make it a bit more spicy & festive!

Toast a piece of bread & float it on top and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.

Mouthwatering Roasted Tomato & Bread Soup {Pappa al Pomodoro}

Make your kitchen smell outright divine with this Tuscan-based slow roasted tomato bread soup, Pappa al Pomodoro. Home-grown tomatoes, in-season, peasant cooking (using stale bread)- a perfect example of Slow Food. Our tomato plants are thriving in this long warm summer in Italy, the colors deepening & the flavors intensifying as the days go by. Originating in Tuscany (about an hour away) we can't resist sharing this mouthwatering recipe at our farmhouse using our plump andjuicy homegrown piccadilly & cherry tomatoes!

(I've posted this recipe before, but since today we started jarring the first batch of jarred/canned tomatoes it was only fitting to post a delicious tomato recipe & this is what's cooking for dinner & one of my absolute favs!!)

Pappa al Pomodoro Recipe

Tomato Bread Soup Recipe

Serves 4
1/2 kilo of ripe cherry tomatoes
few cloves of garlic, peeled & sliced
large bunch of basil, set aside soft stems for later (chopped)
good extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
2 medium cans of good quality tomatoes
2 big handfuls of good stale bread, crusts removed
olive oil for cooking

Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C
Toss cherry tomatoes with oil, 1 clove of garlic chopped, 1/3 of your basil, salt & pepper. Place on a cookie/baking sheet. Place in oven for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes burst open.

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat a couple glugs of olive oil SLOWLY cooking your garlic & basil until soft for a couple minutes. Turn up heat, add tomatoes & 1 can of water. Break up tomatoes with back of a wooden spoon. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Tear bread into bite size pieces, mixing well.
Season with salt & pepper.

Turn down heat, cooking for another 10 minutes.
When cherry tomatoes are done cooking add them to the soup. Make sure to scrap all the good, caramelized juicy bits from your pan into the soup.

Stir & taste check. You are looking for a thick soup. If it is too dry, adjust with water. When you are happy with the consistency remove from heat. Stir in 7-8 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil and torn basil leaves.

Serve warm or hot.

Cold Cucumber Soup with Steamed Scampi

When the temperatures soar, try a this creamy & refreshing...soup! Crazy huh?! In fact, cold cucumber soup is delicious & light, like a green gazpacho and paired with steamed scampi (or grilled shrimp or crab meat) is a gorgeous combination.  This oven-free, cook-free, heat-free dish will help you keep your cool in a hot summer kitchen!

For the gardeners: a cucumber soup is also a brilliant way to use all that cucumber our garden produces. After all, you can only eat so many cucumber tomato onion salads before you're ready to try something new.

Cold Cucumber Soup

Serves 8-10 (when serving in a shot glass size)
Serves 4 (when serving in a bowl)

4-5 cucumbers, peeled & seeded
1/2 red onion
1 clove garlic
squeeze of lemon
small handful of parsley, chopped
pinch of mint, chopped
salt
1 small chili (optional)
1/3 - 1/3 cup plain unsweetened yogurt
1/2 glass of water
extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor throw in the garlic, cucumber, onion, lemon juice, salt, herbs and water - turn on High for 2-3 minutes until everything is chopped nice & fine. Add the yogurt and give it pulse.

Taste & adjust your seasonings. If it's too thick add a bit more water. If the flavor is flat add a bit more salt & lemon juice.

Allow to sit in the fridge for at least an hour or more. At the same time place your serving dishes (cups or bowls) in freezer. Note: The flavors will change and come together as it sits.

Before you serve, give it a good stir, taste again and adjust seasonings if needed.

To serve: use the glasses that were in the freezer & top with extra virgin olive oil. Pairs perfectly with steamed scampi, grilled shrimp or crab meat.

Passatelli in Broth

Passatelli is a rustic Italian pasta meets German spatzle, noodle/dumpling made of breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, eggs, nutmeg & lemon zest. Found on dinner tables across Le Marche & Emilia Romagna, passatelli is best served in chicken broth but can also be dressed with sauce. (Some recipes call for no flour, others just a handful - this is a hotly debated topic even within Le Marche.)
 I love pasta, I love bread, I love cheese and I love passatelli!

It may not look pretty but it is surprisingly light with a nice bite, and a lovely nutty flavor from the parmesan & nutmeg.
 

Passatelli in Broth

Passatelli in brodo  

6 eggs
250 g parmesan
250 g breadcrumbs
50 g type 00 flour
nutmeg
lemon zest
2.5 liters broth
This recipe does require a passatelli press or potato ricer to push the dough through, making thin snakes of passatelli. 

Beat the eggs in a bowl.
In a separate bowl add all the dry ingredients including the nutmeg & lemon zest. Make a well in the center of the breadcrumb mixture bowl, pour in the beaten eggs and mix together to form a dough.

Turn it out onto a board & knead it 10 times. If it's still tacky dust it with a little flour. Then wrap it up in plastic & let rest for at least an hour.

After that push the dough through the passatelli press directly into simmering broth.
(Note: If you are making this to serve with sauce, allow it dry on the board for a few minutes.)

Allow to cook for a couple minutes in the simmering broth. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan over top.

Hearty Farro + Sweet Leeks = A Delicious Soup Everytime

   

Nutrient-rich farro is an ancient grain with a nutty flavor & firm-chewy texture, making it wonderful to cook with in soups, salads & breads.  The Romans ate farro to give them strength as they marched across the Western World & would arrive with a full belly & battle-ready thanks to this hearty grain! This recipe for Farro & Leek Soup can be built upon based on what's in-season, in the Spring add peas & asparagus for bright flavor or in the Fall try walnuts & porcini creating a rich meaty flavored stew.

You should be able to find farro at most Italian specialty shops or health food stores. We are lucky to find locally grown farro right here in Le Marche, Italy!

farro & leek spring soup

Farro and Leek Soup

Minestra di Farro e Porri

(Depending on the time of year, you can add in asparagus & peas in the spring or mushrooms & walnuts in the fall if you like.)

Serves 4

2-3 glugs or tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks, white parts only, sliced finely

1 cup or 150 gr farro
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced

1 liter meat stock (vegetable or chicken stock is OK, however meat stock adds richer flavor) **Please do not use bullion cubes for this! There are only a few ingredients & they should be of the highest quality possible.
herbs of your choice - I use 1 sprig of thyme & a bay leaf

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt & pepper

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil on med/low heat. Add in the vegetables and sweat until translucent and soft WITHOUT browning. If the vegetables stick to the pan, lower the heat & add a spoonful of water.  

Then toss in the farro, toasting with the vegetables for 1-2 minutes. Add in the herbs & stock. Season with salt & pepper. 

Then Bring up to a low simmer and continue to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the farro is tender.

You can control the consistency of the soup: to make it more 'stewy'  hold back a little stock, and the contrary if you like it 'soupy,' add a bit more stock.

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and serve with toasty bread.

Pappa al Pomodoro - Slow Roasted Tomato Bread Soup

Slow roasted cherry tomatoes

 Make your house smell outright divine with this Tuscan-based slow roasted tomato bread soup, Pappa al Pomodoro. Locally grown tomatoes, in-season, peasant cooking (using stale bread)- a perfect example of Slow Food. Our tomato plants are thriving in this long warm, Indian summer in Italy, the colors deepening & the flavors intensifying as the days go by. Originating in Tuscany (about an hour away) we can't resist sharing this mouthwatering recipe at our farmhouse using our plump & juicy homegrown piccadilly & cherry tomatoes!

Pappa al Pomodoro

Tomato Bread Soup

1/2 kilo of ripe cherry tomatoes.
few cloves of garlic, peeled & sliced
large bunch of basil, set aside soft stems for later (chopped)
good extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
2 medium cans of good quality tomatoes
2 big handfuls of good stale bread, crusts removed
olive oil for cooking

Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C
Toss cherry tomatoes with oil, 1 clove of garlic chopped, 1/3 of your basil, salt & pepper. Place on a cookie/baking sheet. Place in oven for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes burst open.

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat a couple glugs of olive oil SLOWLY cooking your garlic & basil until soft for a couple minutes. Turn up heat, add tomatoes & 1 can of water. Break up tomatoes with back of a wooden spoon. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Tear bread into bite size pieces, mixing well.
Season with salt & pepper
Turn down heat, cooking for another 10 minutes.
When cherry tomatoes are done cooking add them to the soup. Make sure to scrap all the good, caramelized juicy bits from your pan into the soup.
Stir & taste check. You are looking for a thick soup. If it is too dry, adjust with water. When you are happy with the consistency remove from heat. Stir in 7-8 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil and torn basil leaves.
Serve warm or hot.

Summer Soup Recipe - Ribollita

This is a fantastic spring or summer soup, light enough for a sunny day! Ribollita literally translates to reboiled and is a classic example of cucina povera, Italian peasant cooking, using stale bread, beans & seasonal vegetables.

Ribollita Recipe

serves 4

2 carrots, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup of peas (if available)
small bunch of asparagus (if available)
1/2 cup of beans of your choice (we use & grow borlotti or cranberry beans), soaked over night, drained or fresh
1 bunch greens of your choice, washed well & chopped into manageable pieces (we use & grow bietola): cavolo nero, kale, chard, etc
5-7 cups of chicken stalk (vegetarian alternative: vegetable stalk or water)
1 tomato
bay leaf
chili flakes
couple cloves of garlic
salt & pepper
olive oil
1 small can of chopped tomatoes/couple of fresh tomatoes
2 handfuls of the inside (guts) of stale bread, broken into pieces, crust removed
good extra virgin olive oil for topping

In a pot, add beans, bay leaf, and your vegetable scraps -carrot peals, celery tops, onion skins, squished tomato, etc. Cover the beans with plenty of water (a few inches above the beans).

Bring to a boil, lower to simmer for 30-40 minutes until tender (time varies depending on your beans).  Strain beans, saving the cooking water for later.  Remove the aromatics from the beans.

Next in a soup pot, add carrots, celery, onion and slowly sauteed in a few glugs of olive oil for 10-15 minutes with OUT color.

Season with salt & pepper.
Add your canned tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat.  Add stock with some of the bean water. Bring up to a simmer. Add greens to your pot, wilting into the soup. Cook for 5-10 minutes, depending the toughness of your greens.

Once greens are soft, add in your beans & bread, one handful at a time.
Season with salt & pepper. Bread should dissolve, creating a velvety texture. Not a thick bread soup. Allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes. Taste check & adjust your seasonings.

Serve with a healthy drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil you have and a ribbon of parmesan.

Basic Italian Chicken Broth Recipe - Brodo

Foghorn-leghorn -  bound for brodo

This is one of those recipes every chef knows by heart, one of the fundamentals of the kitchen. Brodo is Italian for broth & is used in everything from risottos, minestras, stews. And, the varieties are endless; fish broth, vegetable both, beef broth, chicken broth. 

We try to always have at least a liter of stock in the freezer. On a cold day you can instantly have a bowl of soup!

Broth Recipe 

Brodo

1 whole chicken in pieces or the equivalent weight of chicken bones
1 beef bone
1 tomato
2 stalks of celery, chunked up
2 carrots, chopped in chunks
2 large onions, chopped in chunks
sprig of parsley
water

healthy pinch of salt
aromatics of your choice

In a large stock pot add all ingredients and cover with water. Bring to a boil, skim the fat and impurities that come to the top.

Then lower to a very low simmer.
Simmer for 3-4 hours.
Strain stock - discard vegetables.

Now you have a delicious stock to be used in an array of dishes & soups.

Pick the meat off the bone & use in the soup, chicken salad or any other dish.

Stock will last a week in the fridge or you can freeze in usable portions.

Farro & Leek Soup

Farro is an ancient grain, the original grain from which all others derive. Farro has been eaten & cultivated in Italy for centuries most notably by the Roman Legion! The Romans ate farro to give them strength as they marched across the Western World & would arrive with a full belly & battle ready thanks to this hearty grain!

Farro is like spelt, but has a firm chewy texture. You should be able to find it at an Italian shop, health food store or speciality shop. We are lucky to find locally grown farro right here in Le Marche! (If you can't find farro - spelt or barley should work)

This recipe has only a few ingredients but is full of flavor and a great first course, not to mention super easy to make!

Farro & Leek Soup

Minestra di Farro e Porri

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks, white parts only, sliced

1 1/2 cups pearl farro

6 1/4 cups meat stock **Please do not use bullion (or stock) cubes for this! There are only a few ingredients & they should be of the highest quality possible.

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt & pepper

Heat the oil in a pan, add the leeks and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Add the farro, pour in the stock, season with salt and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until the farro is tender.

Season with pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls or a soup tureen and sprinkle with Parmesan & drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil.