Minestra

dojemi's Note:

This is a very conforting soup my Mum use to make a lot. Unortunately, I don't have her recipe but recently found this one in our local paper, courtesy of Ike DeLorenzo. He suggests using the best sausage you can find for this dish. His choice, cacciatorini, a dry, aged, spicy salami or pork and beef, or salsiccia Napoletana piccante, an excellent dry sausage from Naples. The use of the Parmedan rind flavors the whole soup.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• ½ lb dry salami , grated with a large-hole grater (or pepperoni)
• 2 (32 ounce) packages chicken stock
• parmesan cheese , rind (or other hard cheese) (optional)
• 3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (rinsed with cold water)
• 2 heads escarole (or 1 head excarole mixed with dandelion greens or other greens, coarsely chopped)
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 ounces fresh spinach (stemmed)
• freshly grated parmesan cheese (for serving)

Directions:

1. In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil.
2. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
3. Add salami (or pepperoni) and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until it begins to render its fat.
4. Add the chicken stock and cheese rind (if using).
5. Simmer for 15 minutes.
6. In a bowl with a fork, mash about 1 cup of the beans, set aside.
7. Meanwhile, in a steamer over boiling water, steam the escarole and other greens for 15 minutes.
8. Add the escarole, red pepper, and cannellini beans (mashed and whole) to the pot.
9. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
10. Add the spinach and cook 5 minutes more or until it wilts.
11. Remove the cheese rind,(if using).
12. Taste the soup for seasoning and add more dalt and pepper, if needed.
13. Ladel into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan.