"Minestra Maritata," a traditional recipe from Campania and Puglia, is rich in flavor and nutrients. The secret to a truly delicious minestra is to sauté the garlic, onion, and guanciale, then add the vegetables and cook the pasta directly in the pan, allowing it to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. To make this dish even more flavorful, Chef Alessandro Borghese on #AleKitchenSound recommends garnishing it with toasted bread, ricotta salata, and a few fresh basil leaves just before serving.
Recipe by Alessandro Borghese
Ingredients for 4 people- 400 g of mixed pasta
- 500 g of shelled broad beans
- 500 g of asparagus tips
- 400 g of escarole leaves
- 400 g of dandelion leaves
- 1 artichoke
- 200 g of wild fennel
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 onion
- 100 g of bacon
- vegetable broth to taste
- Toasted bread cubes to taste
Heat a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté a finely chopped onion, some strips of guanciale, and an unpeeled garlic clove. As soon as the guanciale fat begins to render, remove the garlic. Add a ladle of vegetable broth, some fennel, a handful of diced celery, and some shelled fava beans. Let everything blend together. Meanwhile, finely chop the artichoke and its stem, then add it to the pan with the asparagus tips. Season with salt and pepper. Stir constantly with a few ladles of broth. Pour in the pasta and stir in the remaining ingredients. Finish by adding roughly chopped dandelion leaves and escarole. Stir in a drizzle of olive oil. Serve the soup with toasted bread, curls of salted ricotta, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil leaves for a touch of color.
