Recipe: Acquacotta (Tuscan Soup)

Acquacotta (Tuscan Soup)

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
2 medium carrots, cleaned and chopped
2 large celery stalk, chopped
1 medium red onion, cleaned
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 1/2 lb fresh tomatoes or canned
1 tbsp tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 quart cold water
1/2 cup egg beaters 99% egg substitute
8 tbsp parmesan cheese freshly grated
2 cup croutons

Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of lukewarm water for 1/2 hour to rehydrate.

Drain the mushrooms (reserving the liquid), making sure that no sand remains attached to the stems.

Finely chop carrots, celery, onion, garlic and the soaked mushrooms all together on a board.

Heat the oil (or mushroom liquid) in a heavy casserole over medium heat. When the sauteing liquid is warm, add the chopped ingredients and saute for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon as needed.

Meanwhile pass the tomatoes through a food mill, using the disk with the smallest holes, into a small bowl.

Add the strained tomatoes, along with the tomato paste, then salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Let simmer for 15 minutes, mixing every so often.

Add the cold water, mix very well and, when the broth returns to a boil, let simmer for 55 minutes.

Place the egg beaters (or two eggs) in a crockery or china soup tureen and mix them very well with the Parmigiano cheese.

When the soup is ready, ladle it into the tureen, and using a wooden spoon, mix each addition very well with the egg-cheese combination in order to avoid curdling.

When the broth is very smooth and the eggs completely amalgamated, add the croutons and serve immediately. (If using bread slices instead, place a slice in each bowl and ladle the broth over top). Serve immediately.

Serving ideas: Use sourdough bread for the croutons or bread slices.