OK, we didn’t have any kind of soup like this in Italy on our recent trip. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t learn a few culinary tricks along the way! For example, white wine is used a lot in Italy to deglaze a pan. Fennel is very popular in Italian cooking. And red pepper flakes are about as common as mayonnaise on a tuna sandwich in the states! And even though tomatoes are used extensively in Italian cuisine, they aren’t always the star of the show. They seem to be content to appear as just another ingredient lending a depth of flavor to whatever dish they grace with their presence. Same with basil. Basil doesn’t need to be the center of attention or present a distinct flavor in Italian dishes either. In fact, you might not even be able to detect its notes of subtle anise-like flavor.
I think in one of my posts I mentioned that Italian cooks are subtlety experts. They almost never beat you over the head with any one flavor. So when I was considering what to cook for my father-in-law for lunch today, I thought I might have a go at updating one of my favorite soups from my second cookbook. The few simple changes I made worked and the soup turned out great. And the best part, the soup is easy to prepare, economical and tastes like it’s been simmering for hours. The fact that it’s low in fat doesn’t hurt either!
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. Italian chicken sausage (I like Isernio brand) or 1 lb. Italian pork sausage
- 1 ½ c. chopped celery
- ½ large onion, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ c. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
- 14.5 oz. Italian diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 T. tomato paste
- 1 qt. chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ c. chopped fresh parsley
- ½ small zucchini, diced
- ½ c. dry pasta, cooked al dente (I use orechiette)
- 1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
- grated Parmesan, opt.
- Garlic Toast, opt. (see recipe below)
Heat olive oil in a heavy lidded soup pot. Add the sausage, breaking into bite size pieces as it browns. Add the celery, onion, and fennel and cook until veggies are tender. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; cook for one minute. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and parsley. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just before ready to serve, add zucchini and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the zucchini is tender, but not mushy. Add the cooked pasta and fresh basil; serve immediately. Pass grated Parmesan cheese and Garlic Toast (see recipe below) for dipping in the soup.
GARLIC TOAST
- baguette slices
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 whole garlic clove, peeled
Place baguette slices on a baking sheet. In moderation, baste both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the slices are very crisp and brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and rub the top of each slice with the whole garlic clove. (Because the toast is crisp, the fresh garlic just kind of melts into the hot surface of the bread.) Delish served with this soup, or almost any other soup for that matter!