Minestrone is more a universe than a recipe, with variations to suit every possible taste. This Savoy cabbage minestrone is Campanian, and a welcome change of pace during the colder winter months of the cabbage season. It is very much simple peasant food. To serve 4:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 pounds (2 k) Savoy cabbage
- 2/5 cup (100 ml) extravirgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 1/4 pound (100 g) flat pancetta in a single slice (use a slice of lean prosciutto if need be), diced
- A fresh hot pepper, seeded and chopped
- 6 slices day-old crusty bread
- 1/4 pound (100 g) freshly grated Pecorino Romano, about 2 cups
- Salt to taste (go easy because of the cheese)
Preparation:
Strip off and discard any blemished outer cabbage leaves, and core the cabbages as well. Separate the leaves, rinse them under cold water, drain them, and chop them coarsely.
Heat the olive oil in a casserole and lightly brown the garlic and the diced pancetta. Add the cabbage and the hot pepper and mix well, seasoning lightly with salt.
Cover and simmer for an hour - the cabbage will give off quite a bit of liquid - adding a little warm broth if necessary.
Lightly toast the bread and distribute the slices in four soup bowls. Ladle the soup, which should be fairly liquid, over them, dust with grated cheese, and serve at once, with a white wine. A Greco di Tufo might be nice.
Heat the olive oil in a casserole and lightly brown the garlic and the diced pancetta. Add the cabbage and the hot pepper and mix well, seasoning lightly with salt.
Cover and simmer for an hour - the cabbage will give off quite a bit of liquid - adding a little warm broth if necessary.
Lightly toast the bread and distribute the slices in four soup bowls. Ladle the soup, which should be fairly liquid, over them, dust with grated cheese, and serve at once, with a white wine. A Greco di Tufo might be nice.
