Acquacotta from the Marche region
Acquacotta Marchigiana
Rustic soup from the Marche region with vegetables and mountain herbs, rustic country bread toasted and extra virgin olive oil.
The Marche-style acquacotta is a rustic and substantial soup, designed to enhance vegetables, wild herbs and rustic country bread through simple and prolonged cooking. On the table, it offers a clear balance between the aromatic broth, the sweetness of the tomatoes, and the vegetal character of the mountain herbs; the toasted bread adds texture and absorbs some of the liquid, softening without completely losing its structure. Extra virgin olive oil complements the dish with a fruity note, while pepper can accentuate its flavor. This preparation is traditional in the Marche region. Cooking in earthenware pot It maintains a constant heat and promotes the infusion of aromas into the water, while the short final rest allows the broth to be more harmonious when served.
Instructions
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6 steps · natural Italian voice
Prepare the vegetables
Clean the onion, the celery stalk and parsley. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and prepare the bunch of mountain herbs, choosing between mentuccia, olaci, wild spinach, and wild chicory. Gather the prepared ingredients together before starting cooking so they can flavor the water evenly.
Bring the water to a boil
Pour two and a half liters of water into a earthenware pot Add the onion, celery, parsley, seeded tomatoes, and mountain herbs. Turn the heat on and slowly bring the liquid to a boil: the surface should simmer steadily, without boiling violently.
Cook the vegetable broth
Salt the water and let it boil for a long time the mixture, maintaining a constant boil. Continue until the liquid has taken on the aroma of the herbs and vegetables and the color is slightly more intense. Check the flavor and season with salt to taste only if necessary, without covering the aromatic component.
Let the soup rest
15 minTurn off the heat and let the preparation rest for fifteen minutes in the earthenware potKeep the container covered, if possible, to retain the heat and promote the harmony of the aromas. When finished, the broth should still be piping hot and aromatic, ready to be poured over the bread.
Toast the bread
Toast the four slices of rustic country bread until golden brown and dry on the surface. Turn them during toasting to ensure an even crust, while still retaining a core that can absorb the broth. Then, place a slice on the bottom of each plate.
Complete and serve
Pour the boiling soup directly onto the bread slices, distributing the broth and vegetables evenly. Finish each serving with extra virgin olive oil and, if desired, a sprinkle of pepper. Serve immediately, once the bread is warm and partially softened by the liquid.
Chef's Tips
The editors recommend letting the broth rest for fifteen minutes after cooking, so that the aromas of the herbs can blend before pouring it over the bread.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for 4 people
- 1 onion
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 small bunch of parsley 2 tomatoes
- 1 bunch of mountain herbs (mentuccia (wild mint), wild spinach or wild chicory)
- ÂĽ litre of extra virgin olive oil 4 slices of rustic country bread
- salt and pepper
Can't find it in the US?
- calamint / wild mintHard to find in the US
2 parts fresh mint and 1 part fresh oregano
- chicorySeasonal
Dandelion greens
Or: Escarole, which is milder
- rustic breadMost US supermarkets
A crusty country loaf or ciabatta
Not soft sandwich bread.
⚠️ Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.
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