This first soup, Italian Bean Soup with Pappardelle, was hearty and delicious. It was inspired by a soup from Trattoria dai Mugnai in Monteveglio, a village outside of Bologna. The second soup, Spanish Garlic Soup, was inspired by an “end of the month” meal, a “meal to make quickly with whatever is on hand and money is tight,” from José Andrés.
The recipes for these simple soups were adapted from Milk Street, the Italian bean and pasta soup from Milk Street Magazine, contributed by Rebecca Richmond, and the Spanish garlic soup from Milk Street TV, contributed by Christopher Kimball and Matthew Card.
Italian Bean Soup with Pappardelle
Yield: Serves 4
- 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 T tomato paste
- 2 to 4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2 15.5 oz cans Roman (borlotti), cranberry, or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or sage
- 1 piece Parmesan rind, plus finely grated Parmesan, to serve
- 8 to 9 oz fresh or dried pappardelle, tagliatelle, or fettucine, cut or broken into 2-inch lengths (see Note)
- freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (I used a Meyer lemon)
- In a large saucepan over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and begins to stick to the pan, about 3 minutes.
- Add the beans, rosemary, Parmesan rind (use if you have it!), 5 cups water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft enough to be easily mashed with a fork, about 10 minutes.
- Off heat, remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Using an immersion blender, pulse the bean mixture until creamy but not completely smooth. (see Note) (Alternatively, if transferring to a blender, let cool for 10 minutes and purée in 2 batches before returning to the pot.)
- Bring to a simmer over medium. Add the pasta and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente (refer to the package for cooking times, but begin checking for doneness a minute or two sooner than the directions indicate). (I used dried pappardelle, broken into 2-inch lengths, and cooked it for 6 to 7 minutes.)
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with oil and top with grated Parmesan and additional pepper, as desired.
Notes:
- If you can find sheets of fresh pasta, they work nicely, too—simply cut them into rough 2-inch squares.
- Don’t puree the beans until completely smooth; leave them with some texture.
Spanish Garlic Soup (Sopa de Ajo)
Yield: Serves 4
- 6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
- 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 6 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra
- 4 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 6 oz sourdough or other rustic bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups), divided
- 6 cups water
- 2 T chicken bouillion (I used Better Than Boullion)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 T sherry vinegar
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low, combine the scallion whites, garlic and 3 tablespoons of the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to color, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add both paprikas and cook, stirring, until fragrant and darkened, 30 seconds.
- Add 1 cup of the bread cubes and stir well.
- Whisk in the water and bouillon, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking occasionally to break up bread, for 15 minutes. Whisk vigorously to ensure bread is thoroughly broken up.
- Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the remaining 3 cups bread, the scallion greens, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot broth. (It is important to do this step to prevent the yolks from curdling when added to the pot.)
- Remove the soup from the heat. Off heat, vigorously whisk the egg yolks into the soup, then whisk in the vinegar.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, fill individual bowls with the crouton mixture, then ladle the soup over them. Drizzle with additional oil, if desired.
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