Minestra Maritata Recipes

MINESTRA MARITATA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add dandelion greens and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer greens to a colander to drain. Add rapini to boiling water and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer rapini to a colander to drain. Add cabbage to boiling water and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain and set greens aside.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, garlic, bay leaf, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until celery and garlic are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Stir in greens and both brodos. Let simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add meatballs during the last 5 minutes of cooking, if desired.
• Ladle soup into warmed bowls; drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

MINESTRA MARITATA (THE ORIGINAL "WEDDING SOUP")

Steps:

• Blanch the salt pork for a few minutes in unsalted water to remove the excess saltiness.
• Add the salt pork and other meats to a large pot and cover by at least 5cm/2 inches with water. Francesconi says that the water should cover the meats by 'four fingers', if you want to measure that way...
• Salt the water lightly and bring the pot to a simmer, skimming carefully to remove the scum that will rise to the top. Then add your aromatics. Continue simmering for about 2-1/2 or 3 hours, until the meats are very tender and the broth is flavorful.
• Let the soup cool, if possible overnight in the fridge. The fat will have risen to the top of the pot and solidify. Remove most (but not all) of the fat, then bring the pot back to the simmer. Fish out the meats and aromatics with a slotted spoon. Discard the aromatics.
• Pull the pork off the ribs and cut up the other meats into bite-sized chunks and set aside, with a ladleful of the broth to keep it moist.
• Fill another large pot with water, salt very lightly and bring to the boil. Chop or slice your vegetables and throw them into the boiling water.
• As soon as the water comes back to the boil, drain them in a colander, rinse with cold water and then, using a spatula or wooden spoon (or even your hands) press out as much water as you can.
• Add these blanched vegetables to the broth along with the cubed cheese. Mix and bring it all to a simmer. Let the pot cook gently for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft. About 10 minutes or so before the vegetables are done, add back the meats.
• Serve hot, with crusty bread and, for those who like it, some additional grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP (MINESTRA MARITATA)

Steps:

• Place first 6 ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil., then immediately reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken easily falls off the bones. Remove chicken from the broth and allow to cool. Reserve the broth. When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove all of the meat from the bones and chop meat into small pieces.
• While the soup is cooking, make the meatballs. Mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and chopped parsley. Form into small meatballs and place on a baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven until fully cooked, approximately 15 minutes.
• Strain the broth used to cook the chicken. Add the remaining onion, celery, and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender.
• Cook the escarole in a separate small pot of boiling salted water until wilted, about 10 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry and add to the broth. Add the cooked chicken, meatballs and cooked, drained pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat well and serve accompanied by Parmesan cheese.