Neapolitan Minestra (Soup) with broth

Minestra Maritata Napoletana - The Marriage of vegetables and meat.

The origins of the Neapolitan minestra maritata.

Also known as “Pignato grasso”, the Minestra maritata is one of the oldest dishes of the Neapolitan tradition and perhaps represents its gastronomic culture better than other recipes, made up of poor ingredients which together become so "rich" that they can never be missing on important occasions, such as Christmas and Easter holidays.

Ingredients:

For the broth:

• 1 pound well-trimmed rib end pork loin, (country ribs), in 2 pieces

• ½ pound salami, in 1 piece

• ¼ pound pancetta, in 1 piece

• ½ pound fresh Italian sausages

• 4 ounces of diced prosciutto

• Fresh herbs tied together in a small bouquet – a large branch of rosemary a large sprig of sage, a few sprig of thyme, and about 20 sprigs of parsley.

The vegetables:

• 1 bunch kale (about 1 pound)

• 1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 pound)

• 1 head escarole (about 1 pound) root end removed and coarsely chopped

• 1 head curly chicory (about 1 pound) root end removed and coarsely chopped

Plus:

• Parmigiano Reggiano rind or dried caciocavallo crust, scrubbed

• ¼ teaspoon hot red flakes, or to taste

• Salt to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Freshly grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano or a mixture of both.

Preparation:

The broth:

1. In a pot, combine all the meats with the herb bouquet. Cover with water. Do not add salt. Cover and bring to simmer. Uncover, adjust the heat so the liquid simmers very gently for about 3 hours, skimming if any scum rises. Add water as necessary to keep the meats covered with liquid.

2. Discard the herbs. Remove the meats. Place them in a bowl and moisten with a few spoons of broth. Refrigerate until you are ready to complete the soup. Cool the broth. Strain it, then chill it so the fat can easily be removed.

The Vegetables:

1. Use only the leafy tops of the kale and broccoli rabe, discarding stems. Coarsely chop the vegetables.

2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanche each vegetable, except the cabbage, for 5 minutes, removing each with a slotted spoon, but reusing the water. Combine the vegetables and the raw cabbage. Discard the cooking liquid.

To finish the soup:

1. In the same pot, bring the meat broth back to a simmer, then add all the vegetables, the cheese rind, and the hot pepper. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

2. Cut the meats into bite-size pieces, discarding the fat. Stir them into the soup and continue to simmer 10 minutes longer. Correct the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 20 minutes before serving it. (If desired, remove the cheese rind cut it into tiny pieces, then put the pieces in the soup. Otherwise remove the rind and discard it.)

4. Serve hot with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano or a combination

Wine

We would enjoy this recipe with a light young red wine such as a Tuscan San Giovese (from Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jupiter". (click here)

Enjoy!

Mic

Minestra maritata