PEASANT POTATO SOUP (ZUPPA DI PATATE CONTADINA) – Recipe by Piero Benigni – This tasty, healthy and delicate soup is typical of the popular cuisine in Central Italy. Even if prepared with simple ingredients, it’s a perfect comfort food for your family and guests!
Ingredients for 4 persons
- 600 gpotatoes (22 oz)
- 500 gonions (18 oz)
- 170 gtomatoes (pelati or sauce, 6 oz)
- 1500 mlvegetable broth (50 fl oz)
- 2 spoonsolive oil (or 3/4 oz butter)
- salt (at taste)
- black pepper (at taste)
- bread (Italian or country style, 4 oz)
Tools for the peasant potato soup
- Cooker
- Pot with lid
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Hand Mixer or vegetable mill
- Wooden Spoon
- Scale
- Pan
Getting ready
Finely chop onions. Pour in the pot 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or 3/4 oz of butter), add onions, cover with lid and stew them for 30 minutes over a mild flame with onions just sizzling. Stir often and add a little broth if they dry too much. Add tomatoes, pour a ladle of broth and cook for 15 more minutes with the soup just simmering.
While the soup is cooking, prepare croutons. Gently brown bread cubes in a small pan with a little olive oil (or butter). Stir often so they brown evenly.
Preparing the peasant potato soup
Add potatoes and half of the boiling broth. Cook for 10 minutes or until the potato pieces are still al dente. Turn off the flame and blend with the hand blender directly in the pot, leaving about a third of the potato pieces undone. Alternatively use a vegetable mill. Turn the flame on again, add the remaining broth, cover and gently cook for 10 more minutes or until the remaining potato pieces are soft. Add salt at your taste. The soup is ready.
Serve hot with some croutons on top and season with some olive oil or butter. Put black pepper and grated cheese at hand. This dish can be kept for 3 days in the fridge or frozen with a 3 months life in the freezer.