Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
Page 12
Minestrina Tricolore—Potato Soup with Carrots and Celery
WHEN I BECAME a wife and, by necessity, a cook, this was one of the first dishes I learned to make. Decades have gone by in which I have had my hand in uncounted dozens of other soups, but I turn still to this minestrina—little soup—for its charm, its delightful contrast of textures, its artless goodness, its never-failing power to please.
For 4 to 6 servings
1½ pounds potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons onion chopped fine
3 tablespoons carrot chopped fine
3 tablespoons celery chopped fine
5 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus additional cheese at the table
1 cup milk
2 cups Basic Homemade Meat Broth, OR ½ cup canned beef broth diluted with 1 ½ cups water
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Crostini, fried bread squares
1. Peel the potatoes, rinse them in cold water, and cut them up in small pieces. Put them in a soup pot with just enough cold water to cover, put a lid on the pot, and turn on the heat to medium high. Boil the potatoes until they are tender, then purée them, with their liquid, through the large holes of a food mill back into the pot. Set aside.
2. Put the butter, oil, and chopped onion in a skillet and turn on the heat to medium. Sauté the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold. Add the chopped carrot and celery and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring the vegetables to coat them well. Don’t cook them long enough to become soft because you want them noticeably crisp in the soup.
3. Transfer the entire contents of the skillet to the pot with the potatoes. Turn on the heat to medium, and add the grated Parmesan, the milk, and the broth. Stir and cook at a steady simmer for several minutes until the cooking fat floating on the surface is dispersed throughout the soup. Don’t let the soup become thicker than cream in consistency. If that should happen, dilute it with equal parts of broth and milk. Taste and correct for salt. Off heat, swirl in the chopped parsley, then ladle into individual plates or bowls. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and crostini on the side.
Potato Soup with Smothered Onions
For 6 servings
2 pounds boiling potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ pounds onions, sliced very thin
Salt
3½ cups Basic Homemade Meat Broth, OR ½ cup canned beef broth diluted with 3 cups water
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus additional cheese at the table
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into ½-inch cubes, rinse in cold water, and set aside.
2. Put the butter, oil, all the sliced onions, and a healthy pinch of salt in a soup pot, and turn on the heat to medium. Do not cover the pot. Cook the onions at a slow pace, stirring occasionally, until they have wilted and become colored a pale brown.
3. Add the diced potatoes, turn up the heat to high, and sauté the potatoes briskly, turning them in the onions to coat them well.
4. Add the broth, cover the pot, and adjust the heat so that the broth comes to a slow, steady boil. When the potatoes are very tender, pulp most of them by mashing them against the side of the pot with a long wooden spoon. Stir thoroughly and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. If you find the soup becoming too thick, add up to a ladleful of broth or, if you are not using homemade broth, add water.
5. Before turning off the heat, swirl in the grated Parmesan and the parsley, then taste and correct for salt. Ladle into individual plates or bowls and serve with additional grated cheese on the side.
Potato and Green Pea Soup
THE ENDEARING FLAVOR of this soup derives from a juxtaposition of sweetness and savoriness. The sweetness is largely owed to the peas, leading to the following consideration: If the fresh peas in the market are of the local, peak-of-season, young, and juicy variety, they are obviously your first choice; if they are mealy, very mature, out-of-town peas, you are better off with frozen ones.
For 4 to 6 servings
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups onion cut into very thin slices
Salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into paper-thin slices
3 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into very, very fine dice
Basic Homemade Meat Broth, enough to cover all ingredients by 2 inches, OR 1 beef bouillon cube
2 pounds fresh peas, unshelled weight, OR 1 ten-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table
1. Choose a saucepan that can subsequently contain all the ingredients comfortably, put in the butter, oil, sliced onion, and a large pinch of salt, turn the heat on to low, and cover the pan. Cook the onion, turning it occasionally, until it becomes very soft and has shed all its liquid. Then uncover the pan, turn up the heat to medium, and cook, stirring once or twice, until all the liquid has bubbled away and the onion has become colored a tawny gold.
2. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring once or twice, until it becomes colored a pale gold. Add the potato dice, turning them several times during a minute or two to coat them well, then add enough broth to cover by 2 inches, or equivalent quantity of water together with a bouillon cube. Turn the heat down to cook at a slow, steady simmer, cover the pan, and cook for about 30 minutes.
3. Add the shelled fresh peas or thawed ones. If using fresh peas, cook another 10 minutes or more until they are done, replenishing the liquid if it falls below the original level. (Expect a substantial quantity of the fine potato dice to dissolve.) If using frozen peas, cook until they lose their raw taste, about 4 or 5 minutes. Taste and correct for salt. Add a few grindings of pepper, stir, and serve at once, with grated Parmesan on the side.
Ahead-of-time note You can make the soup a day in advance, and reheat it gently just before serving.
Potato Soup with Split Green Peas
For 6 servings
2 medium boiling potatoes
½ pound split dried green peas
5 cups Basic Homemade Meat Broth, OR 1 cup canned beef broth diluted with 4 cups water OR 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 5 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus additional cheese at the table
Salt
Crostini, fried bread squares
1. Peel the potatoes and cut them up into small pieces. Rinse in cold water and drain.
2. Rinse the split peas in cold water and drain.
3. Put the potatoes and peas in a soup pot together with 3 cups of broth, cover, turn on the heat to medium, and cook at a gentle boil until both the potatoes and the peas are tender. Turn off the heat.
4. Purée the potatoes and peas with their liquid through a food mill back into the pot.
5. Put the butter and vegetable oil in a small skillet, add the chopped onion, turn on the heat to medium high. Cook the onion, stirring it, until it becomes colored a rich gold.
6. Pour the entire contents of the skillet into the pot with the potatoes and peas, add the remaining 2 cups of broth, cover, and turn on the heat to medium, adjusting it so that the soup bubbles at a steady, but slow boil. Cook, stirring from time to time, until any floating butter and oil has become evenly distributed into the broth.
7. Before turning off the heat, swirl in the grated Parmesan, then taste and correct for salt. Ladle into individual plates or bowls and serve with crostini on the side and additional grated Parmesan for the table.
Lentil Soup
For 4 servings
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablesp
oons onion chopped very fine
⅓ cup shredded pancetta OR prosciutto OR unsmoked country ham
2 tablespoons carrot chopped fine
2 tablespoons celery chopped fine
1 cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
½ pound dried lentils
4 cups Basic Homemade Meat Broth, OR 1 cup canned beef broth diluted with 3 cups water
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus additional cheese at the table
1. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter and all the oil in a soup pot, add the chopped onion and the pancetta, and turn on the heat to medium high. Do not cover the pot. Cook the onion, stirring it, until it becomes a deep gold.
2. Add the chopped carrot and celery. Cook at lively heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the tomatoes with their juice, and adjust the heat so that they bubble gently, but steadily. Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. In the meantime, wash the lentils in cold water and drain them. Add the lentils to the pot, stirring thoroughly to coat them well, then add the broth, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Cover the pot, adjust the heat so that the soup cooks at a steady, gentle simmer, and stir from time to time. Generally, it will take about 45 minutes for the lentils to become tender, but each lot of lentils varies, so it is necessary to monitor their progress by tasting them. Some lentils will absorb more liquid than others. If necessary, add more broth while cooking or, if you are not using homemade broth, add water.
5. When the lentils are done, before turning off the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl in the grated Parmesan. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Serve with additional grated Parmesan for the table.
Ahead-of-time note The soup can be made in advance, even in large batches, and frozen, if desired. When making it ahead of time, stop at the end of Step 4, and add the butter and cheese only after reheating and just before serving.
Variation with Rice
The addition of rice provides a satisfying alternative to basic lentil soup.
For 6 servings
Lentil Soup, finished through Step 4
1½ cups Basic Homemade Meat Broth, OR ½ cup canned beef broth diluted with 1 cup water
½ cup rice, preferably Italian Arborio rice
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus additional cheese at the table
Salt
Bring the soup to a boil, then add the broth. When the soup comes to a boil again, add the rice, stirring thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Cook at a steady, but moderate boil until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, approximately 20 minutes. If, while the rice is cooking, you find that it is absorbing too much liquid, add more homemade broth or water. When the rice is done, before turning off the heat, swirl in the tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmesan. Taste and correct for salt, if necessary. Serve with additional grated Parmesan on the side.
Lentil Soup with Pasta, Bacon, and Garlic
For 6 servings
Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons for cooking, plus more for stirring into the soup
¼ pound bacon chopped very fine
½ cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
⅓ cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
⅓ cup fresh, ripe, firm tomatoes, skinned raw with a peeler, all seeds removed, and chopped, OR canned Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
1 cup dried lentils
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1½ cups short, tubular soup pasta
¼ cup freshly grated romano cheese (see note below)
1. Choose a saucepan that can later contain the lentils and pasta with sufficient water to cook them. Put in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the chopped bacon, onion, garlic, celery, and parsley, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook, stirring and turning the ingredients over often, until the vegetables become deeply colored, about 15 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, stir to coat it well, and cook for a few minutes until the fat floats free of the tomato.
2. Add the lentils, turning them over 3 or 4 times to coat them well, then add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Adjust heat so that the liquid simmers gently, and cook until the lentils are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Whenever the water level falls below the 1 inch above the lentils you started with, replenish with as much water as needed.
3. Add salt and several grindings of pepper, put in the pasta, and turn up the heat to cook at a brisk boil. Add more water if necessary to cook the pasta. When the pasta is done—it should be tender, but firm to the bite—the consistency of the soup should be more on the dense than on the thin side.
4. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Add the grated cheese and about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, stir thoroughly, then take off heat and serve at once.
Note Romano is the most widely available export version of cheese made from ewe’s milk. All such cheeses are known in Italian as pecorino. Romano is, regrettably, the sharpest of these, and if you should come across a better pecorino of grating consistency, such as fiore sardo or a Tuscan cacciotta, use it in place of romano, increasing the quantity to ⅓ cup, or more to taste.
Ahead-of-time note You can make the soup up to this point several hours or even a day or two in advance. Reheat thoroughly, adding water if necessary, before proceeding with the next step.
White Bean Soup with Garlic and Parsley
IF ONE really loves beans, all one really wants in a bean soup is beans. Why bother with anything else? Here there is very little liquid, and just enough olive oil and garlic to help the cannellini express the best of themselves. It can be made thick enough, if you allow the liquid to evaporate while cooking, to be served as a side dish, next to a good roast. But if you like it thinner, you only need add a little more broth or water.
For 4 to 6 servings
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 cups dried cannellini OR other white beans, soaked and cooked and drained, OR 6 cups canned cannellini beans, drained
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 cup Basic Homemade Meat Broth, OR ⅓ cup canned beef broth diluted with ⅔ cup water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley OPTIONAL: thick grilled slices of crusty bread
1. Put the oil and chopped garlic in a soup pot and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the garlic, stirring it, until it becomes colored a very pale gold.
2. Add the drained cooked or canned beans, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Take about ½ cup of beans from the pot and purée them through a food mill back into the pot, together with all the broth. Simmer for another 5 to 6 minutes, taste, and correct for salt and pepper. Swirl in the chopped parsley, and turn off the heat.
4. Ladle over the grilled bread slices into individual soup bowls.
Pasta e Fagioli—Pasta and Bean Soup
THE CLASSIC bean variety for pasta e fagioli is the cranberry or Scotch bean, brightly marbled in white and pink or even deep red hues. When cooked, its flavor is unlike that of any other bean, subtly recalling that of chestnuts. In the spring and summer it is available fresh in its pod and many specialty or ethnic vegetable markets carry it. When very fresh, the pods are firm and brilliantly colored, but even if they are wilted and discolored, the beans inside are likely to be perfectly sound. You can open one or two pods just to make sure.
Cranberry beans can be frozen with great success and are better than the dried kind. If your market carries fresh cranberry beans in season, you could buy a substantial quantity, and freeze the shelled beans in tightly sealed plastic freezer bags. They can be cooked exactly like the fresh. When fresh cranberry bea
ns are not available, the dried are a wholly satisfactory substitute and, if necessary, one may even use the canned. If you can’t find cranberry beans in any form, you can substitute dried red kidney beans.
For 6 servings
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped carrot
3 tablespoons chopped celery
3 or 4 pork ribs, OR a ham bone with some lean meat attached, OR 2 little pork chops
⅔ cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice, OR fresh tomatoes, if ripe and firm, peeled and cut up
2 pounds fresh cranberry beans, unshelled weight, OR 1 cup dried cranberry or red kidney beans, soaked and cooked, OR 3 cups canned cranberry or red kidney beans, drained
3 cups (or more if needed) Basic Homemade Meat Broth, OR 1 cup canned beef broth diluted with 2 cups water
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Either maltagliati pasta, homemade with 1 egg and ⅔ cup flour, OR ½ pound small, tubular macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1. Put the olive oil and chopped onion in a soup pot and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the onion, stirring it, until it becomes colored a pale gold.
2. Add the carrot and celery, stir once or twice to coat them well, then add the pork. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning the meat and the vegetables over from time to time with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the cut-up tomatoes and their juice, adjust the heat so that the juices simmer very gently, and cook for 10 minutes.