Zuppa Etrusca

Source!

Ingredients

Legumes

  • Chickpeas: 100 g (preferably from Murgia, Puglia)
  • Cannellini beans: 100 g (from Tuscany)
  • Sorana beans: 100 g

Aromatics

  • Garlic: 1 whole clove per legume batch
  • Sage: 2 leaves per legume batch
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Vegetables

  • Savoy cabbage: 1 large slice (~¼ head for 4 servings)
  • Black kale: stems and leaves separated
  • Chard: stems and leaves separated
  • Spinach: leaves and stems separated
  • Zucchini: 1 medium
  • Flat green beans: 100 g
  • Celery: leaves and stalks separated
  • Leek: ½ stalk
  • Potatoes: 2 medium
  • Carrot: 1 large
  • Onion: 1 small

Grains

  • Farro: 4 handfuls (~100 g)

Seasonings

  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Fennel seeds
  • Fennel flower or pollen
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Broth

  • Vegetable trimmings (potato peels, celery leaves, leek greens, carrot peels, etc.)
  • Water

Preparation Steps

1. Soak the Legumes

  • Soak chickpeas, cannellini beans, and Sorana beans in 8× their weight in water for 24 hours in a cool, dry place.

2. Cook the Legumes

  • Cannellini beans:
    Cook in a steel pot over direct heat until soft (~1 hour). Blend into a smooth cream with extra virgin olive oil.

  • Chickpeas & Sorana beans:
    Cook in earthenware pots with garlic, sage, and olive oil at 120–130°C in the oven for 1.5 hours.

3. Prepare Garlic-Infused Oil

  • Crush rosemary, sage, black pepper, and garlic into a paste using a mortar.
  • Mix with olive oil and let infuse overnight.

4. Prepare Vegetables

  • Dice into uniform squares:

    • Savoy cabbage - Black kale - Zucchini - Leek - Celery stalks - Potatoes

  • Julienne:

    • Spinach - Chard - Their stems

5. Make Broth

  • Simmer vegetable trimmings in water to create a light, flavorful broth.

6. Cook Farro

  • Sauté farro in the garlic-infused oil.
  • Deglaze with broth and cook risotto-style for 20–25 minutes, until tender.

7. Assemble the Soup

  • In a casserole, heat garlic-infused oil with fennel seeds.
  • Sauté onion, celery, and leek for 5 minutes.
  • Add carrots, potatoes, and cabbages; cook another 5 minutes.
  • Add green beans, flat beans, zucchini, and remaining greens.
  • Deglaze with broth.

8. Combine Components

  • Stir in:
    • Cooked farro - Chickpeas - Sorana beans - Cannellini bean cream
  • Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

9. Finish & Serve

  • Serve at ~55°C.
  • Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Finish with a light sprinkle of fennel flower or pollen.