Recipe: Thousand Things Soup, Cabbage and Potato Soup with Sweet Italian Sausage, Chick Pea Soup Italian Style for Miriam

Thousand Things Soup
Source: Deborah Mele 2002
Serves 6

This soup is full of dried beans. The lusty, robust Calabrian soup's name actually translates as "1,000 little things", referring to the number of ingredients in the soup. This filling soup is chock full of fiber, and freezes well without the pasta.

1 1/2 Cups Dried Broad Beans
1 Cup Dried Borlotti Beans
1/2 Cup Lentils
1 Large Carrot, Chopped
1 Medium, Onion, Chopped
2 Stalks Celery, Chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Head Savoy Cabbage, Shredded
1 Cup Chopped Pancetta
8 (oz) Mushrooms, Cleaned And Sliced
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Dash Red Pepper Flakes
9 Cups Boiling Water
1 Cup Chopped Tomatoes
7 (oz) Small Pasta Such As Tubettini
1 Cup Grated Pecorino Cheese

Soak the dried beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse. Cook the beans in a large pot of water until tender. Drain. In a large pot, heat the oil, and cook the pancetta, onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery and garlic until vegetables are tender. Pour in the boiling water into the vegetable mixture. Add the cooked beans and cabbage, and mix well. Add the seasoning and cook for about 10 minutes longer. Add the pasta and cooked until it is tender. Serve hot, offering the cheese to top.

Cabbage And Potato Soup With Sweet Italian Sausage
Source: The Pressured Cook by Lorna Sass

The Author says: "This simple dish comes from the tradition of Italian cucina povera (the food of the poor) which relies on a few humble ingredients masterfully combined to make the whole much greater than the sum of its parts. Sausage infuses this soup with rich flavor, and tomato paste gives it an appealing pale orange hue. I prefer using sweet fennel sausage, but you can substitute the spicy variety, if you wish. Add Savory cabbage, potatoes and a generous protion of Pecorino Romano, and you have a deeply satisfying one-pot meal. For more substance, ladle the soup over thick slices of peas."

1 pound Italian pork sausages, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8 cups chicken or turkey broth
2 pounds Idaho (russet) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1-1/2 pounds Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
salt to taste
6 slices hearty peasant bread (optional)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the sliced sausage in the Pressure Cooker and turn the heat to medium-high. When the sausage begins to sizzle, turn the heat to medium, stir, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add the onions and tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes more. Add a few cups of broth and stir well to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the cooker. Add the remaining broth, potatoes and cabbage. (Don't be concerned if the contents exceed the maximum recommended capacity; the cabbage will wilt as you bring up the pressure). Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure (This may take longer than usual since the pot is so full.) Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Quick-release the pressure by setting the cooker under cold running water. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow excess steam to escape. Stir in the parsley, 1/3 cup of Pecorino Romano, and add salt. If using bread, set a slice on the bottom of each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Sprinkle on a liberal portion of Pecorino Romano and black pepper. Pass any remaining cheese at the table. Yield: 6 servings

Variations:
Substitute chopped chicory or escarole for the cabbage. Use Italian-style chicken or turkey sausage instead of pork sausage.

Chick Pea Soup Italian Style

500 g. chick peas
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
60 g. bacon
1 onion fine chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped basil
1/4 teaspoon dry marjoram
60 g. butter
3 tablespoon olive oil
1x300 g. tin chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato puree
2.1/2 litre vegetable stock
250 g. cotechino or other pork sausage
250 g. chicory leaves
bread for toast
salt and ground black pepper
80 g. grated pecorino cheese

In a large bowl put the chick peas with the bicarbonate soda, cover with water mix well and leave to soak over night. Mince very fine all together bacon, onion and garlic add parsley, marjoram, basil and cook in a large pan with the butter and oil for few minutes stirring, drain the chick peas, add to the pan with chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, vegetable stock and the cotechino or pork sausage diced up, salt and pepper, bring to the boil cover and simmer for 1.1/2 hour, add the chicory leaves and simmer for further 30 minutes. Place a slice of toast into individual soup bowls, add the cheese to the soup to taste, pour over the toast and serve very hot.