Spinach and Fresh Ricotta Soup with Crunchy Bread
Today’s recipe hails from an area in southern Tuscany: Maremma.
This unique zone is known for its varied geography: blue sea, long beaches, rolling hills covered with woods, and wild marshes. By now it’s a renowned destination, but it wasn’t always like this. Until the 20th century the area was still wild and inhospitable given the presence of large swamplands, and the people that lived there had to be resourceful in their everyday life. We can see this in the way they cooked: the traditional soup we’re seeing
today features just a few ingredients that are used wisely. A quick weekday recipe that can be prepared in under an hour, and despite being a frugal meal it showcases great culinary care and will leave you satisfied at the end.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
200 gr cooked spinach
2 nr white onions
1 garlic clove
400 gr ricotta di pecora
150 gr canned tomato
100 g vegetable stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
Parmigiano, pecorino romano, nutmeg, salt, pepper to taste
Method:
In a pot with lightly salted water, boil the spinach. When cooked, drain them and let them cool for a couple of minutes. Then chop finely and sauté with oil and garlic in a large pan and set aside.
Finely chop blonde onions and let sweat in a casserole until almost transparent. Add ricotta and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cover with the vegetable stock, letting the soup cook for 30 minutes on very low heat. When done, let it rest for 2 minutes.
Serve in a bowl with additional fresh ricotta, grated cheeses, black pepper, olive oil, and toasted bread.