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This hearty Italian vegetable and bread soup draws on the tradition of acquacotta - literally cooked water - a Tuscan peasant dish in which poor-quality water was transformed by slow cooking with whatever vegetables were available into something deeply warming and nourishing. The addition of stale bread, which absorbs the broth and thickens the soup from within, and soft-poached eggs cracked directly into the bowl at serving, turns a humble vegetable broth into a satisfying and complete meal. Swiss chard and canned tomatoes form the backbone of the soup, while the eggs add richness and protein that make it surprisingly filling. Finished with Parmesan and a pour of good olive oil, this is cucina povera cooking that feels anything but poor.
Prep
15 min
Cook
45 min
Total
60 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Easy
Calories
245 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, celery, and garlic. Cook gently for 12 minutes until completely soft and fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes and red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until softened, then pour in the vegetable broth.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the Swiss chard or spinach and cook for 5 minutes more until wilted and tender.
Tear the stale bread into chunks and stir into the soup. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the bread has absorbed the broth and softened into the soup, thickening it.
Season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to the lowest simmer and make 4 wells in the surface of the soup with a spoon. Crack one egg into each well.
Cover the pot and poach the eggs in the hot soup for 3-4 minutes until the whites are just set but the yolks remain runny.
Ladle into bowls, ensuring each bowl gets an egg. Finish with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
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