Book of Days Tales

Today is the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, without doubt one of the best known and best loved saints of all time.  He is probably most frequently remembered as a lover of animals, and because he is the patron saint of animals, his feast day was chosen in 1931 as World Animal Day, which is now celebrated internationally as a day to focus on a variety of issues concerning animals and the environment.

In honor of St Francis here is an Umbrian vegetable soup. Francis was, of course, famously vegetarian.  Minus the cheese this soup would also be vegan. “Agliata” refers to the garlic and herb mix which forms the base of the soup.  Versions are known from medieval sources.

Zuppa di Verdure all’Agliata

Ingredients

½ cup packed basil leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil,
2 tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 cloves garlic
½ medium onion, diced
8 oz red new potatoes, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped fine
2 medium carrots, chopped fine
2 plum tomatoes, de-seeded and chopped fine
2 cups spinach
1 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans (or other white beans)
1 cup green peas
2 cups curly endive, shredded
salt and pepper
freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

Place half the basil, 2 tablespoons of oil, parsley, garlic, and onions in a food processor or blender and process until slightly chunky. Do not blend all the way to a paste.

Heat the remaining oil in an 8-qt. pot over medium-high heat and add herb–garlic mixture. Cook, stirring often, until no liquid remains, about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, celery, carrots, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are golden brown, about 6 minutes.

Add salt to taste and 4 cups of water (or vegetable stock) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, beans, peas, and endive and cook until the greens are wilted and just tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and stir in the remaining basil.

Serve in individual bowls and pass grated cheese and extra virgin olive oil for guests to add as they wish.

Serves 4