Recipe: Minestrone della Famiglia and Baked Country Minestrone

MINESTRONE DELLA FAMIGLIA

"Good minestrone depends upon letting all the vegetables cook long enough to exchange personalities. The formula here is the essence of country soup making: Use what's in season, deepen the soup's character with plenty of onion, saute some of the vegetables for contrast and don't forget the beans and herbs for flavor and body. Then let heat and time do the work. This recipe evolved over years of gathering ideas from Italian country cooks. It changes with the seasons and my mood, so don't hesitate to play with what's listed below. There is one inviolate ingredient-the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind. My frugal Tuscan grandmother always simmered leftover Parmigiano rind in the soup. With its incomparable flavor, no broth and little additional salt is needed.

My grandfather always ate his minestrone in true farmer style. He placed a toasted slice of coarse whole-grain bread in the bottom of the soup dish, doused it with olive oil, then ladled in the minestrone. Italians season minestrone at the table with olive oil from the omnipresent cruet and black pepper, or stir in pesto or grate Parmigiano-Reggiano into the soup. One elderly aunt committed heresy, at least in the eyes of Tuscan purists-she used both oil and cheese. In my childhood ignorance, I loved it. Now, with adult wisdom I call it overkill, but I love it still."

2 medium red onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium potato, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium stalk celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large kale leaves, finely chopped
Rind from 1/2 pound or more (2 by 4 by 5 inches) of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)
1/2 of a 14 ounce can whole tomatoes, with their liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Robust extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/8-inch-thick slice pancetta, minced
1 1/8-inch-thick slice good-quality salami, minced
6 large fresh sage leaves
1/4 medium Savoy or green cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tightly packed cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 tightly packed cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked borlotti or pinto beans (rinsed and drained if canned), half of them pureed in a food processor
2 large stalks (with leaves) Swiss chard, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup small pasta (such as ditalini, acini di pepe, meloni, or stelle)
1 cup freshly grated ParmigianoReggiano cheese (optional)

FOR GRANDFATHER'S MINESTRONE FOR 8 PEOPLE:
8 1/2-inch-thick slices rugged wholegrain bread, toasted
About 1/2 cup robust, peppery Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil

Set aside about one third of the onions. In a 6-quart pot, combine the rest of the onions and all the ingredients up to and including the tomatoes. Cover by an inch with water. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer very gently 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, film the bottom of a 10-inch skillet lightly with olive oil, Set over medium-high heat. Add the reserved onions, the pancetta, salami, sage leaves, and a handful of the cabbage. Saute to a rich golden brown. Stir in the garlic, parsley, and basil. Cook another minute.

Blend the saute into the cooked vegetables along with the remaining cabbage, the beans, including their puree, the chard, and water to cover everything by about an inch. Simmer slowly, partially covered, another 45 minutes. Add more water as needed so the soup has the consistency of a watery stew.

Season to taste, stir in the pasta, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm with olive oil, a peppermill, and the cheese passed separately. (Minestrone reheats beautifully and is even better the second day.)

FOR GRANDFATHER'S MINESTRONE:
Lay a slice of toasted bread in each of eight soup bowls. Moisten each slice with about a tablespoon of olive oil and ladle in the minestrone.

VARIATION:

BAKED COUNTRY MINESTRONE:
This turns minestrone into a casserole dish by adding garlic bread to sop up its juices. It tastes like leftover Ribollita. Place leftover minestrone (about 6 cups or so) in a shallow 2-quart baking dish lined with slices of coarse country bread that have been toasted, rubbed with garlic, and brushed with olive oil. Cover and refrigerate. The next day, tuck grated Parmigiano or mild sheep cheese here and there into the minestrone. Film the top with a little olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees F until hot and bubbling, about 40 minutes. Cut into squares and serve hot with extra cheese

WINE SUGGESTION:
A Tuscan red Syrah or Carmignano

Serves: 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 as a main dish
Source: The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper