Entree: Italy – Tuscany – Acquacotta (Rustic Tuscan vegetable and tomato broth cooked with stale bread and finished with a poached egg)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Additional
6 min
Total
50 min
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, about 6 oz (170 g), thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, about 0.2 oz (6 g), minced
- 1 medium carrot, about 3 oz (85 g), diced
- 1 celery stalk, about 1.5 oz (45 g), diced
- 14 oz (400 g) canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable or light chicken broth
- 8 oz (225 g) cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) or Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
- 6 oz (170 g) stale country bread, torn into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
- 4 large eggs, approx. 7 oz (200 g) total
- 1 tsp (6 g) coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion, diced carrot, and celery and cook until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the canned tomatoes and their juices and simmer 3–4 minutes to meld flavors.
3. Pour in the broth, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the chopped cavolo nero and simmer until the greens are tender, about 10–12 minutes.
4. Add the torn stale bread to the pot so it soaks up the broth and begins to break down; stir gently so bread pieces are distributed. Simmer 5–8 minutes until the mixture is soupy but substantial. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; stir in the red wine vinegar.
5. To finish with eggs: make four small wells in the stew, crack one egg into each well, cover the pot, and poach over low heat until whites are set and yolks are still slightly runny, about 6–8 minutes (cook longer if you prefer firmer yolks). Alternatively, beat eggs and drizzle to create a more uniform texture.
6. Serve Acquacotta hot in deep bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley and basil if using. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil on top and grind fresh black pepper to taste.
