zuppa di porcini e vongole
for 6
80 g dried porcini, soaked in 225 ml hot water for 20 minutes
2.5 kg vongole (small clams), washed
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled, 5 of them chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 small dried red chillies, crumbled
600 g tinned peeled plum tomatoes
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
250 ml white wine
6 slices sourdough bread, 1 cm thick
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Prepare the porcini as here and roughly chop. Heat half the olive oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan, fry the porcini for a few minutes, then add half the chopped garlic, the oregano and chilli. Fry to combine and cook the garlic. Stir in the tomatoes with half their juices, breaking them up. Add salt and cook for 20 minutes to reduce to a thickish sauce. Season with pepper.
In a separate large saucepan with a lid heat the remaining olive oil, add the remaining chopped garlic and let it colour for a minute, then add the vongole and the wine. Cover and cook, shaking the pan to open the vongole, about 3–5 minutes. You may have to do this in batches. Drain the liquid from the vongole and pass through a fine sieve. Allow the vongole to cool, then remove two-thirds of them from their shells. Add the vongole liquid to the tomato sauce. Stir to combine and keep hot.
Toast the bread on both sides. Rub one side with the remaining whole garlic, and place in the bowls. Add the vongole, shelled and unshelled, to the soup. Test for seasoning. Bring to simmering point, remove and stir in the parsley. Ladle over the bruschetta, drizzle with extra virgin oil and serve with lemon.