Soup of the Dead

Minestra dei Morti

Apulian chickpea and pork soup, slowly cooked and served with parmesan cheese; the meat is enjoyed as a main course with pickles.

6 servings

Easy

Puglia

EasyPuglia

Minestra dei Morti (Mine of the Dead) is a hearty Apulian dish, traditionally associated with November 2nd, and built on the combination of chickpeas and pork. It's a complete soup, with a fragrant broth and full flavor, where the sweetness of the legumes blends with the savory flavor of the meat and bones. The chickpeas, left to rehydrate for a long time and cooked without salt, achieve a soft yet distinctive texture; the meat, meanwhile, becomes tender during slow cooking with vegetables and herbs. The dish is served in two ways: the chickpeas are served in broth, with grated grana cheese added at the table, while the meat arrives as a second course and is accompanied by cucumbers, bell peppers and pickled onions. The dish belongs to the culinary tradition of Puglia.

Instructions

Voice reading

7 steps · natural Italian voice

Soak the chickpeas

2880 min

Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of water. Soak them for 48 hours, so they can fully rehydrate and cook evenly. After soaking, they should be swollen and well covered with water; drain them before proceeding.

Cook the chickpeas

180 min

Transfer the drained chickpeas to a pot, cover them with clean water, and boil them without adding salt for 3 hours. Maintain a steady but not violent boil, making sure they remain submerged at all times. Cooking is complete when the chickpeas are tender in the center and easily mashed, without falling apart completely.

Prepare the vegetables

Slice the yellow onions, the celery stalks and large carrots. Cut the vegetables into even pieces, so they cook evenly with the meat. Keep the sage and rosemary separate, as they will flavor the pan juices.

Cook meat and herbs

Place the pork, bones, sliced vegetables, sage, and rosemary in a pot. Cover with water. salt Cook until the meat is tender and the liquid is fragrant. Keep the heat low, with a barely perceptible simmer, avoiding allowing the surface liquid to evaporate too quickly.

Combine the ingredients

Once the chickpeas and meat are cooked, combine them in a single pot along with their cooking liquids. Stir gently to avoid breaking the chickpeas, and taste the broth. Season with salt to taste only now, when the concentration of flavors is defined.

Complete the soup

30 min

Let the mixture simmer for another 30 minutes. The liquid should simmer slowly and absorb the aromas of the herbs, while the chickpeas and meat absorb the flavors without falling apart. Turn off the heat when the broth is flavorful and slightly thicker, maintaining the distinct texture of the chickpeas.

Serve the dish

Serve the chickpeas in broth very hot as a soup and complete the table with plenty of grated grana cheeseServe the meat separately as a second course, accompanied by cucumbers, bell peppers and pickled onions. This way, the soup retains its brothy character and the meat finds a tart contrast.

Chef's Tips

The editorial team recommends cooking the chickpeas without salt and adding them to the meat only after cooking, so they remain tender and the broth maintains a balanced flavor.