pleasure in a bowl
There is something comforting and elemental about a spoon. It’s not as aggressive as a knife and fork. In fact, as infants, we all began eating real meals at the receiving end of a spoon. There’s also a kind of primal comfort in wrapping your hands around a warm bowl; making a meal of a bowl of soup can be deeply satisfying. When you think of foods from around the world, many of the most enjoyable are the bowl and spoon type: Asian dumplings in broth, the bean soups of Italy, Indian dals. Whatever their character, thick or thin, good soups are always pleasing and sustaining.
Soup can also feel somewhat cleansing, if one has become a bit overindulgent in the food and drink department. After such a spell, I may opt for a few days of what I have come to refer to as the Soup and Wine Diet. The rules are fairly simple: eat as much soup as you like, and still have a little wine with dinner.
In this chapter, in addition to soups, there are other somewhat “soupy” dishes. You’ll find examples such as Spanish Garbanzo Bean Stew, Clams in the Shell with Fennel and Parsley, and Tunisian Meatballs that also beg to be eaten with a spoon.
This strictly bare-cupboard Provençal soup is insanely good. The ingredients are nothing more than a lot of garlic, some sage leaves, water, a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. It takes only 10 to 15 minutes to cook, but when you taste it, you’ll swear it is long-simmered chicken broth.
Like chicken broth, garlic soup is said to have all sorts of medicinal properties. It apparently can both prevent and cure hangovers, and even aid digestion. It also makes a perfect light lunch or supper on a hot summer day when you don’t much feel like cooking. Many versions—including this one—add a poached egg, which makes it more of a meal. And some cooks whisk a beaten egg into the broth to make it creamy. Serves 4
2 heads garlic, preferably new-crop, separated into cloves (about 16 medium cloves) and peeled
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 sage leaves
Salt and pepper
6 cups water
4 eggs
4 slices bread, lightly toasted
Chopped parsley, scallions, or chives
Slice or roughly chop the garlic cloves. Warm the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and sage and let sizzle a bit without browning, about 2 minutes. Season with about 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a brisk simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Ladle about an inch of the soup into a skillet and bring to a brisk simmer over medium heat. Carefully crack the eggs into the pan and poach for about 3 minutes.
To serve, place a slice of toast in each soup bowl and top with a poached egg. Ladle the soup over the eggs and sprinkle with a little parsley.
This simple little soup is beautiful and delicious. The main trick is to cut the ingredients into ultratiny dice—confetti, if you will. That way, the vegetables cook quite rapidly and contribute their flavor to the soup, making essentially a sort of quick, very fresh-tasting vegetable stock. If you do happen to have a little homemade chicken stock on hand, use it instead of water, but it’s not necessary. I often make just enough for my own lunch, and it really only takes a handful of chopped vegetables. I begin with a finely diced onion and ad-lib from there, depending on the season. Serves 1 or 2
1½ teaspoons olive oil or butter
A 1-cup mixture of finely diced vegetables, such as onion, leek, carrot, fennel, and zucchini
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
2 cups water
Chopped basil, parsley, or scallions
Squeeze of lime or lemon juice or a few drops of vinegar (optional)
Heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat until sizzling gently. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper and add the garlic, if using. Add the water, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped basil and a squeeze of citrus juice, if you wish.
When I first tasted this wonderful, earthy soup, called potaje in Spanish, all I wanted was more. Chunky and substantial, it is a homely dish made from garbanzo beans, potatoes, and a little pork. The recipe below feeds a few, but you could make a big potful for a larger gathering. Like other stews, the flavor improves if made a day ahead. Serve with red wine, radishes, and coarse crusty bread. Flamenco music too, if possible. Serves 4 to 6
1 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked overnight in cold water and drained
¾ pound pork belly (or 1 pig’s foot, about 1½ pounds)
1 medium carrot
1 small onion, stuck with 1 clove
1 bay leaf
10 cups water
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ pound Spanish chorizo, diced
2 teaspoons pimentón
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Put the garbanzos in a large pot, add the pork belly (or pig’s foot), carrot, clove-stuck onion, bay leaf, water, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, and simmer for about 1 hour, until the garbanzos are tender. Turn off the heat. Drain, reserving the liquid.
Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chorizo and stir to coat. Season well with salt and pepper and add the pimentón. Add the garbanzos and 8 cups of the cooking liquid, bring just to a simmer, and cook gently for 45 minutes. Add the potatoes and continue cooking until the potatoes are quite tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Remove the pork belly, slice thickly (or remove the meat from the pig’s foot and chop it), and return it to the pot. Ladle the soup into bowls.
I have always liked eating beans for breakfast, whether it’s pinto beans cowboy-style with corn bread or Mexican refried beans with tortillas, so this rustic fava bean breakfast dish naturally appeals to me. Of course, ful medames (as it’s known in Egypt) can be enjoyed at any time of day. Salt, lemon juice, and cumin are the traditional seasonings. It is only a little soupy, but best eaten with a spoon nonetheless, accompanied by pita or other flatbreads. Dried fava beans can be found in Middle Eastern groceries. Serves 4 to 6
1 pound small dried peeled fava beans
1 small onion, halved
8 cups water
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup olive oil
2 small ripe tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup chopped red onion
4 hard-cooked eggs (or fried eggs, if preferred)
Lemon wedges
Put the beans in a medium heavy pot, add the onion and water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer and skim any rising foam. Cook until the beans are tender and falling apart, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, toast the cumin seeds in a small dry pan over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Coarsely grind in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle.
Remove the halved onion from the pot and discard. Season the beans with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and olive oil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until quite thick. Mash the beans a bit if you like.
Spoon the beans into bowls and garnish with the tomatoes, chopped onion, and eggs. Sprinkle with salt and the toasted cumin. Serve with lemon wedges.
Fresh shell beans are a fleeting treat, usually available only in summer months. Look for cranberry beans or other varieties like fresh butter beans, sold in the pod at farmers’ markets. Some growers sell them already shelled. Unlike their dried cousins, fresh shell beans need only about 30 minutes to become tender and creamy. You can eat them warm or at room temperature, with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Or try them this way, with a sprightly mixture of parsley, rosemary, lemon zest, and garlic. They’re also good with a spoonful of Mrs. Paganelli’s “Pesto” (page 102). Serves 4
2 pounds fresh shell beans, shelled (about 2 cups)
4 garlic cloves
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Grated zest of ½ lemon
1 garlic clove, finely minced
Put the shelled beans in a small pot, cover with 4 cups water, and add the garlic cloves, a generous pinch of salt, and the olive oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Check to see if the beans are soft, tender, and creamy throughout; if necessary, continue to cook for a little longer. If they are not to be served immediately, let the beans cool in their broth and then reheat later.
To serve, drain the warm beans (save the broth for soup) and put them in a bowl. Mix together the rosemary, parsley, lemon zest, and the minced garlic and sprinkle over the beans. Add a drizzle of olive oil.
In Southeast Asia, rice porridge is commonly eaten for breakfast, but need I say it’s good at midnight too? You may be inclined to skip the salted eggs, but they really are sensational and worth trying. Otherwise, just stir a roughly beaten egg into the soup at the last minute and let it quickly cook into strands. Top the jook, as this porridge is called in Malaysia, with fried shallots and chiles, slivered scallions, and a few drops of sesame oil. Serves 4
1 cup jasmine or other long-grain white rice
6 to 7 cups chicken broth or water
Salt
4 Salted Eggs (optional; recipe follows)
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
3 large shallots, sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rings
12 small dried red chile peppers
Soy sauce
2 scallions, thinly slivered
Toasted sesame oil
Wash the rice well several times in cold water. Put it in a medium heavy pot, add the broth and a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add the salted eggs, if using. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes more: the rice grains will swell and become quite soft but should still remain discernible.
Meanwhile, to make the fried shallot garnish, pour vegetable oil to a level of 1 inch in a wok or skillet and heat to about 350°F. Add the sliced shallots and chiles and fry until the shallots are crisp and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
To serve, season the porridge to taste with salt and soy sauce. Retrieve the salted eggs, if used, from the pot, peel, and roughly chop.
Ladle the porridge into bowls, add a spoonful of chopped egg, and sprinkle with the fried shallots and chiles. Garnish each bowl with some slivered scallions and a little drizzle of sesame oil.
salted eggs
Makes 12 eggs
Dissolve 2 cups kosher salt in 8 cups cold water, whisk well, and pour into a large jar or other nonreactive container. Carefully submerge a dozen eggs in the brine. The salted eggs can be stored, refrigerated, for up to 3 months, but are ready to use after 2 weeks. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes and use to garnish the rice porridge.
This soup reminds me of an ethereal one I had many years ago in Oaxaca, made entirely of bright yellow squash flowers (you could buy an armload of them there for just a few pesos). To get your hands on enough squash blossoms to make that same soup here, you’d need a large vegetable garden or have to pay a small fortune at the farmers’ market. So I’ve adapted the recipe, adding corn and summer squash as well. The essence of squash blossom still prevails, and the soup still has its heady flavor and velvety texture. Serves 4 to 6
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onion
3 cups sweet corn kernels (from about 4 ears)
1 pound yellow summer squash, cut into ½-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
¼ cup long-grain white rice
4 cups chicken broth, or as needed
½ pound squash blossoms, cut into ½-inch slices
Grated nutmeg
In a medium heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels and squash and season well with salt and pepper. Add the rice and chicken broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the rice is tender.
Add the squash blossoms and cook for 5 minutes more.
Puree the soup in a blender, in batches if necessary, then pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a large saucepan. Thin with a little more broth or water if necessary, and adjust the seasoning. Reheat and add a little freshly grated nutmeg.
Some rich chicken broth, an onion, a pinch of saffron, and a lemon can turn a handful of arborio or other risotto rice into a fine small meal. Once you master the technique—it needs to simmer briskly, and it takes a little nursing—you’ll be able to produce a good risotto in about 20 minutes. Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
Salt and pepper
1 cup short-grain Italian rice, such as arborio, carnaroli, or vialone nano
Small pinch of saffron, crumbled
¼ cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth, heated
Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons butter
About ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season, and cook gently until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and saffron, stir well to coat the rice, and let sizzle a bit. Allow the onion to color slightly, add the wine and a good pinch of salt, and cook for 1 minute.
Add 1 cup of the hot broth, stir, and adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Stir frequently as the rice absorbs the liquid. When you see little sinkholes on the surface of the rice, it is time to add more broth. Do this every 5 minutes, stirring in ½ cup chicken broth each time. The total cooking time should be 20 minutes or so, and the rice grains should still be a bit al dente.
Add the lemon zest and juice and the butter. Taste a spoonful to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Add a splash more broth if the risotto seems too stiff. Stir in the grated Parmesan and serve in shallow soup bowls. If you prefer a more soupy risotto, as I sometimes do, ladle a little extra broth into each bowl.
It has always been incredible to me that just a few dozen clams in a pot with some aromatics can produce such an abundance of delicious broth, and I marvel at the mystery of it. How? Never mind, I’ll happily enjoy a steaming bowlful any time. Though some would add a twirl of al dente spaghetti or linguine, for me it is the fragrant, briny broth that delights—better with a crusty loaf and a spoon.
The smallest clams are the most tender. Look for littlenecks on the East Coast, or Manila clams from the Pacific. Serves 2
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 medium leek, trimmed and finely diced
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 pounds small clams, like littlenecks or Manila, scrubbed
Splash of white wine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
Lemon wedges
In a wide deep pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, then add the fennel seeds, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the clams, turn the heat to high, and stir well with a wooden spoon to coat. Splash in the wine, put on the lid, and cook until all the clams have opened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the parsley and scallions. Spoon the clams and broth into bowls. Serve with lemon wedges.
Some soups, once encountered, live on in both memory and a cook’s personal repertoire. This very traditional Tuscan soup impressed me when I first encountered it in Florence. I loved the way a little polenta could be used to thicken, ever so slightly, a vegetable soup. There was something special too about the deep, dark kale and fruity olive oil that were added to the bowl. My version is faithful to the original, so good that there was no need to embroider. Serves 4 to 6
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more (optional) for drizzling
1 large onion, diced
½ pound carrots, peeled and diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
Salt and pepper
1 medium leek, trimmed and cut into ½-inch squares
1 bay leaf
¼ cup polenta
6 cups chicken broth
½ pound kale, preferably Tuscan
½ teaspoon grated or finely chopped garlic
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Leaves from 1 rosemary sprig
In a heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and fennel, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or so, until barely softened. Add the leek and bay leaf and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the polenta, stirring to distribute it, and raise the heat to high. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and allow the soup to simmer for about an hour; the broth should be just slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Meanwhile, wash and roughly chop the kale. Drain in a colander but do not dry. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the greens, stirring as they begin to wilt. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the greens are tender, about 5 minutes more. Set aside.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the kale. Sprinkle with the chopped rosemary (finely chop it at the last minute), and drizzle with more olive oil if desired.
To make these gnocchi, I use fine semolina flour, ground from hard yellow wheat, which has a distinctive nutty, sweet flavor, and employ an old-fashioned method, similar to making French pâte à choux, the pastry used to make cream puffs or gougères. The semolina flour is first cooked in water with a little butter until it forms a ball, the eggs are beaten into the dough and then fresh ricotta and a little sharp Pecorino cheese are added. Unlike conventional potato gnocchi, the dough is not rolled; rather, it is dropped by spoonfuls into a pot of boiling water. The gnocchi are well-seasoned, tender, and light and can be served in either a savory homemade broth or in a pool of sage-infused butter. They can also be cooked ahead, then baked in an earthenware dish with a handful of Parmesan. Makes about 40 gnocchi; Serves 4 to 6
2 cups water
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup fine semolina flour
3 large eggs
Salt and pepper
Grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ cup fresh ricotta, drained
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more (optional) for garnish
2 teaspoons finely chopped sage
2 tablespoons slivered chives or scallions
6 tablespoons butter, melted, or 6 cups well-seasoned hot chicken broth
12 large sage leaves, for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Put the water in a medium saucepan, add the 6 tablespoons solid butter, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the semolina all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a ball; this will take a minute or two. Cook for a minute more, until firm.
Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (alternatively, use a handheld mixer). Beat the dough at medium speed for a few minutes, until it has cooled slightly and given off its steam. Now begin adding the eggs one at a time, making sure you have completely incorporated each egg before adding the next one; increase the speed if necessary. The final dough should look smooth and glossy. Mix in ½ teaspoon salt and a generous amount of pepper, then add nutmeg to taste, the lemon zest, ricotta, Pecorino, chopped sage, and chives, and mix on medium speed for a minute or two to combine the ingredients.
To cook the gnocchi, bring a large wide pot of salted water to a rapid simmer. With a teaspoon, scoop up walnut-sized pieces of dough and nudge them into the water with the help of a second spoon. Cook about 12 gnocchi at a time so as not to overcrowd. When they rise to the surface, let them simmer for 2 minutes, then transfer to a warm bowl with a spider or a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
Warm the melted butter in a small skillet over medium heat, add the sage leaves, and simmer for 1 minute.
Divide the gnocchi among shallow soup bowls. Drizzle the gnocchi generously with the sage-infused butter. Sprinkle some cheese and parsley over each bowl, if desired.
Alternatively, if serving in broth (4 gnocchi per bowl is sufficient), add the sage leaves to the broth when heating. Ladle the broth over the gnocchi and serve with cheese and parsley. Baked gnocchi may also be served with either the sage-infused butter or the broth.
I wanted this simple fish stew to be especially herbaceous, so I used lots of cilantro, basil, and mint, along with the pungent flavors of lemongrass, chiles, and ginger. For tropical sweetness, I added both coconut and coconut oil. The resulting broth is bright, spicy, satisfying, and most definitely green. The green sauce could also be stirred into a pot of steamed clams or mussels. Serves 4
For the green sauce (makes about 1 cup)
1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 2 ounces)
1 cup basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
¼ cup mint leaves (about ½ ounce)
A 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves
2 small serrano or fresh Thai chiles, chopped
½ cup grated unsweetened coconut (fresh, dried, or frozen)
A 4-inch length of lemongrass, tender center only, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Ice water (optional)
1½ pounds firm white-fleshed fish fillet, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
3 or 4 scallions, thinly sliced
Lime wedges
To make the green sauce, put the cilantro, basil, mint, ginger, garlic, chiles, coconut, lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, and salt in a blender or food processor. Quickly process to make a smooth, thick puree, adding a little ice water if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning; it should be quite spicy.
Season the fish chunks lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wide deep pan over medium heat. Add the fish and fry lightly for 1 minute on one side. Flip the fish and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the broth and half of the green sauce, then put on the lid and cook for 2 minutes, or just until the fish is opaque throughout. Gently stir in the remaining green sauce. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if necessary. Ladle the stew into bowls, sprinkle with the scallions, and serve with lime wedges.
In France, meatballs are called boulettes (sounds better than “meatballs,” non?), and by far the most popular versions are the spice-scented North African type. In Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, former French colonies, that’s also what meatballs are called, at least on tourist menus. They are simmered in a spice-laden, saffron-scented sauce, with just enough hot pepper to keep it interesting. Served with steaming-hot buttered couscous, these nearly bite-size, tender boulettes make a warming, comforting meal. Fear not: although the ingredients list is long, this is really a very simple recipe, parts of which can be prepared in advance. Serves 4 to 6
For the sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups finely diced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
A 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
Large pinch of saffron, crumbled
Salt and pepper
3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
For the meatballs
1½ cups cubed day-old firm white bread
1 cup milk
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 large egg, beaten
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
All-purpose flour for dusting
Olive or vegetable oil for shallow-frying
For the couscous
1 cup giant couscous, medium couscous, or m’hamsa
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water until softened, then drained
Salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a wide heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, without browning, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, and saffron and stir well to incorporate. Season generously with salt and pepper and allow to sizzle for 1 minute. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. The sauce can be made up to a day in advance and refrigerated.
To make the meatballs, put the bread cubes and milk in a small bowl and let the bread soak until softened, about 5 minutes, then squeeze dry and transfer to a medium bowl.
Add the ground meat to the bread and mix gently with your hands, then add the egg, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, ginger, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cloves, coriander, and nutmeg, and mix well to distribute the seasonings. Add 2 tablespoons each of the parsley, cilantro, and scallions and knead for a minute. The meat mixture can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated.
With your hands, roll the meat mixture into small balls about the size of a quarter. Dust lightly with flour. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs, turning once, until barely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain and blot on paper towels.
Add the meatballs to the sauce, bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the meatballs are tender. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding salt or cayenne as necessary.
Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to the package directions, then fluff gently and stir in the butter and raisins. Season with salt and the cinnamon and toss well.
Spoon the couscous into shallow bowls and top with the meatballs and plenty of sauce. Garnish with the remaining parsley, cilantro, and scallions.
Note: Regarding the browning of the meatballs, dusting them in flour before lightly frying helps keep them tender and thickens the sauce, but they can be browned without flour if desired. Or, instead of frying, they can be briefly broiled before simmering. And if you don’t want the sauce, just finish the cooking in the skillet and serve the panfried meatballs crisp and hot.
This is not a vegetable-laden summer minestrone. It’s mostly about earthy, creamy, slowly cooked white beans with accents of pancetta, roasted winter squash, and rosemary. Choose sweet, firm-fleshed squashes like kabocha, delicata, or butternut. Serves 4 to 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into small dice
Salt and pepper
¼ pound pancetta or bacon, sliced into ¼-inch-wide strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in cold water and drained
6 cups water
1 pound winter squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
½ pound small pasta, such as tubetti or orrechiette, cooked until al dente and drained
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
Fruity olive oil for drizzling
In a heavy soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, season with salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the pancetta, garlic, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the beans and water, bring to a simmer, and cook gently until the beans are very tender, about 1½ hours.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F. Put the squash cubes on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and coat with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Roast until tender and lightly caramelized, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. Adjust the seasoning of the beans and broth with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the cooked squash and pasta and heat through.
To serve, ladle into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with a pinch of freshly chopped rosemary and a drizzle of fruity olive oil.