RECIPE: Imbrecciata Soup--Legumes, Spelt, Barley & Corn

It's hearty, delicious, and 100% Umbrian

To continue our six-month celebration of Cappuccino—and by association, all things Italian—I thought a soup recipe typical of the Umbria region might be in order. Umbria has a very meat-intensive culinary tradition, so it’s not easy to find something that will satisfy your discerning palate and my customary avoidance of meat. If meat is served to me at a dinner party, I will eat it, sure, but I never feel good about it; left to my own devices, almost never.

I have enough annoying dietary restrictions without throwing another one in the mix. Pretty soon, people will stop inviting me over for dinner, period.

A good imbrecciata sits well on the stomach, has terrific mouth-feel, and we’re talking flavor for days. You can serve it as an appetizer or an entrée, it pairs beautifully with most medium-bodied white wines or a light-bodied, low-tannin red like a Pinot Noir. It also keeps well. I haven’t frozen any of this soup for later consumption, which is not out of the question, but after even two days in the refrigerator, it heats up nicely.

The only impediment to you being able to recreate this Umbrian classic is the lardo di colonnata, which is Italian fatback impregnated with coriander, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, and other herbs mixed with sea salt. Lardo is not exported to America. The American Department of Agriculture insists that it be heated to 156 F (69 C) before it it sold to consumers, but since the fat would be a melted, congealed mess, that sort of defeats the purpose. The best substitute I can think of would be slices of fatback, or unsmoked streaky bacon.

Give the recipe a whirl, and then tell me what you think.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chickpeas

• 1/2 cup white beans (or bean of choice)

• 1/2 cup lentils

• 1/2 cup fava beans

• 1/2 cup boiled corn (out of a can is fine)

• 1/2 cup spelt (also known as dinkel wheat or hulled wheat)

• 1/2 cup barley

• 1 tablespoon Lardo di Colonnata or fatback or unsmoked streaky bacon

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• celery, carrot and onion for 4 cups of broth

• fine salt and black pepper

• fresh marjoram leaves

• extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Soak the beans, chickpeas, broad beans and corn and lentils separately for the time needed according to directions. Lentils must be boiled separately because they have a different cooking time.

2. Prepare the broth with 3 liters of water, celery, carrot and onion and simmer until it’s reduced by half.

3. Bring the broth to a boil and pour in the spelt and barley. When they are al dente, drain, but keep the cooking broth.

4. In a pan drizzled with olive oil and a tablespoon of chopped fatback, brown the garlic clove until golden brown.

5. Add the tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper and cook for about twenty minutes.

6. Remove the garlic and add all the cooked legumes, spelt, barley, and corn, season with salt and pepper and stir.

7. Add the sauce to your soup and cook over low heat for about ten more minutes, sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve hot.

Buon appetito!