Italian Manest Food

MINESTRA

Steps:

• In a deep, large, heavy pot over moderate heat, saute garlic and pancetta in extra-virgin olive oil for 3 minutes. Add onions and cook 1 or 2 minutes longer.
• Add the greens and wilt them down to fit them all in the pot. Add beans, broth, and nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook over moderate to medium-high heat for 12 minutes, or until greens are no longer bitter. Serve with shaved cheese, bread, and good red wine.

MINESTRA: HEALTHY GREENS AND BEANS

Steps:

• Place oil, water and garlic in a very large pot; heat over medium high heat. First add the chopped Savoy cabbage and cover with the lid.
• After about 5 minutes, stir (add the kale if using) and cover again. Let cook for another 5 minutes, then stir once more. You'll start to think that everything won't fit in the pot, but it will.
• Now add the dandelion greens, and continue to cook over medium heat, covered, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and the fennel seeds. Check to make sure the liquid has not dried up, if so, add more water.
• The last greens to go in are the spinach, then cook for another 5 minutes or so. Now add the beans and mix well into the minestra. Taste for salt and pepper, and continue to cook for just a few minutes until the beans are heated through, and that's it.
• Serve hot with homemade bread and slices of sweet onion! YUMMY!
• cooked minestra with liquid (if it's too dry, add a little water)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (for about 4 cups of minestra) be sure to use top quality oil
• stale, crusty Italian bread, torn into bite size pieces
• In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, put about 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil, add the minestra and the torn pieces of bread, and drizzle about 1 or 2 more tablespoons of olive oil on top.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the bread has absorbed the liquid and softened, and everything is heated through. Serve hot, with slices of sweet onion, if desired.

MINESTRA - BEANS AND GREENS SOUP

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into the saucepan or soup pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium.
• Add onion to the heated olive oil, and sauté until the onion is softened and translucent. This process takes 2-3 minutes.
• Add chopped garlic, and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
• Add the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Add half of the beans to the onion and garlic mixture. Mash the beans. (See video.)
• Add the chopped escarole to the onion, garlic, and mashed bean mixture, and stir well to incorporate the greens.
• Add the remaining beans and broth to the pot, stir well, and bring the mixture up to a boil. Next, turn the heat to medium, cover the pot, and allow the soup to simmer for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, turn off the heat. Your soup is ready to serve, and you can ladle it into soup bowls. If you want, you can also grate cheese on top of the soup.
• This soup will stay fresh, refrigerated for 3-4 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

MINESTRA

Steps:

• In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil.
• Cook garlic, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
• Add salami (or pepperoni) and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until it begins to render its fat.
• Add the chicken stock and cheese rind (if using).
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
• In a bowl with a fork, mash about 1 cup of the beans, set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a steamer over boiling water, steam the escarole and other greens for 15 minutes.
• Add the escarole, red pepper, and cannellini beans (mashed and whole) to the pot.
• Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
• Add the spinach and cook 5 minutes more or until it wilts.
• Remove the cheese rind,(if using).
• Taste the soup for seasoning and add more dalt and pepper, if needed.
• Ladel into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan.