Simple Sunday Soups

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)

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.)
5. 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.)
6. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste.
7. 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

1. 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.
2. Add both paprikas and cook, stirring, until fragrant and darkened, 30 seconds.
3. Add 1 cup of the bread cubes and stir well.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.)
7. Remove the soup from the heat. Off heat, vigorously whisk the egg yolks into the soup, then whisk in the vinegar.
8. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
9. To serve, fill individual bowls with the crouton mixture, then ladle the soup over them. Drizzle with additional oil, if desired.

Italian Sausage & Mushroom Ragu with Pappardelle

I love Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street television show and cookbooks. I recently joined their mailing list too. I have received a million emails from them since about offers and products, etc., but getting recipes like this one makes it worth the spam. 😉

This was our Election Day comfort food meal. It was quick and absolutely delicious. Perfect. The recipe was inspired by chef Vitaly Paley of Portland, Oregon, via 177milkstreet.com, contributed by Julia Rackow. I used cremini instead of portobello mushrooms and modified the proportions. I loved how the mushrooms lightened up the meaty sauce.

Yield: 6 servings

• 2 T salted butter
• 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped or portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, caps finely chopped
• 2 large shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, preferably bulk (I used sausage links and removed the casings)
• 1 cup full-bodied, dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 14 1/2 to 16 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 16 oz dried pappardelle or tagliatelle
• minced fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
• grated Parmesan, for serving, optional

1. Finely chop the garlic and mushrooms in a food processor.
2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the butter and garlic until the butter has melted and the mixture has begun to sizzle. (I used a wide enameled cast iron pan.)
3. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the shallots have softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard any accumulated fat, if necessary.
5. Increase to medium-high and add the wine. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the broth, cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Continue to simmer until the broth has reduced by about half, 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
8. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside, covered.
9. While the sauce simmers, in a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
10. Add the pasta and 2 tablespoons of salt and cook until the pasta is al dente.
11. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking (pasta) water, drain the pasta and return it to the pot or a serving dish.
12. Add the sauce to the pasta (I layered it) and toss to coat. If needed, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. (I did not add pasta water but kept it to add when reheating the leftovers.)
13. Serve garnished with parsley. Pass grated Parmesan at the table, as desired.

Creamy Tagliatelle with Asparagus & Herbs

I love springtime pasta dishes loaded with vegetables. This version was creamy, rich, and absolutely delicious. Chopping the asparagus so that it could be completely incorporated throughout the pasta was genius.

This recipe was adapted from Ruth Rogers of River Café London: Thirty Years of Recipes and the Story of a Much-Loved Restaurant cookbook, via Food 52. I modified the proportions to use one pound of pasta. I also left the asparagus tips intact. Amazing!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• 2 1/4 pounds thin asparagus spears
  
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
  
• 6 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (basil, mint, parsley, oregano)
  
• 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) heavy cream
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 14 to 16 ounces taglierini, tagliatelle, or pappardelle pasta
  
• 5 to 6 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
  

1. Trim or snap off the tough ends from the asparagus spears. Cut into 1-inch pieces; reserve tips in a separate bowl.
2. Finely chop the 1-inch pieces of asparagus all together with 2 of the garlic cloves and the herbs in a food processor. (I chopped the garlic and herbs first and then added the asparagus.)
3. Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan with the remaining 4 whole garlic cloves and simmer until the cloves are soft. Remove from the heat; discard the garlic.
4. Heat the olive oil and butter in a separate large pan and sauté half of the chopped asparagus for 5 minutes, stirring. (I used a 14-inch skillet.)
5. Add the rest of the chopped asparagus-herb mixture and the reserved asparagus tips, followed by the flavored cream. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the cream begins to thicken, about 6 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
6. Cook the pasta in a generous amount of boiling salted water, then drain thoroughly.
7. Add to the sauce along with about half of the Parmesan and toss together.
8. Serve with the remaining Parmesan.

Two Years Ago: Linguine with Asparagus & Egg

Three Years Ago: Rigatoni with Lemon-Chile Pesto & Grated Egg

Four Years Ago: Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus, Peas, & Mushrooms

Five Years Ago: Baked Shells with Cauliflower & Taleggio

Pasta Primavera with Asparagus, Peas, & Crème Fraîche

This quick and fresh dinner was truly springtime on a plate. It uses a combination of early spring vegetables- asparagus, peas, and scallions- which, as the author describes, makes it a “true celebration of the season.”

This recipe was adapted from the New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I modified the proportions and omitted the tarragon. I also used reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Loved it!

Yield: Serves 6

• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, stems trimmed
• 3/4 pound asparagus, ends snapped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup fresh English peas
• 1/3 cup (5 large) thinly sliced spring onion, white part only (or use shallot)
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
•  coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 16 ounces pappardelle, fettuccine or tagliatelle, preferably fresh
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, at room temperature
• 6 oz (3/4 cup) crème fraîche or whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon, optional

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, slice snap peas in half and asparagus stems into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add snap peas, asparagus, English peas and onion. Cook until vegetables are barely tender (but not too soft or mushy), 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
5. Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente (1 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta, more for dried pasta). Drain well, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
6. Transfer pasta to the skillet of prepared vegetables or to a large bowl.
7. Immediately toss pasta with vegetables, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crème fraîche and herbs.
8. Thin sauce to desired consistency with reserved pasta water.
9. Season generously with salt and pepper, if needed, to taste. Serve.

One Year Ago:

• Linguine with Asparagus & Egg

Two Years Ago:

• Rigatoni with Lemon-Chile Pesto & Grated Egg

Three Years Ago:

• Saffron Pappardelle with Moroccan Spiced Shallot-Butter Sauce
• Spicy & Garlicky Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pappardelle

Four Years Ago:

• Israeli Couscous with Spinach and Onions
• Spinach cooked with Onions (Mughlai Saag)

Pasta with Yogurt & Caramelized Onions

This wonderful meatless main dish tasted like a deconstructed version of my mother-in-law’s special homemade Christmas Eve pierogies. Apparently, it is actually an adapted Greek island dish! It was rich and delicious.

This recipe was adapted from Food 52 Genius Recipes: 100 Recipes that will change the way you cook by Kristen Miglore, contributed by Diane Kochilas. (This cookbook was a Christmas gift from my sweet brother. ) I used dried pappardelle noodles instead of fresh tagliatelle.

The author suggests ways to “fancy” up this dish by adding chard or spinach to the pasta just as it finishes boiling. Another suggestion was to blend the sauce with peas, mint, or tahini. All so yummy!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 5 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cups (1.4 L) coarsely chopped or sliced yellow onions
• sea salt
• 1 pound (450 g) tagliatelle or other fresh pasta or dried pappardelle
• 2 cups (450 g) thick, strained Greek-style yogurt (I used 2 percent)
• 1 cup (100 g) coarsely grated Pecorino Romano or kefalotyri cheese

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the onions. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently and seasoning with sea salt to taste as you go, until the onions are soft and golden brown, 20 to 30+ minutes.
2. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. As the water heats, add enough salt so that you can taste it. Add the pasta and cook until soft, just past al dente.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.
4. Combine the yogurt with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the reserved cooking water and whisk to mix well. Add more of the reserved pasta water as needed to get the sauce to your desired thickness.
5. Toss the pasta with the yogurt mixture.
6. Serve the pasta immediately, sprinkled generously with cheese and topped with the caramelized onions and their juices.

One Year Ago:

• Easy Mushroom Lasagna

Two Years Ago:

• Polenta Al Forno with Spinach, Ricotta, & Fontina

Three Years Ago:

• Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs
• Collard Greens with Dumplings

Pappardelle with Mashed Peas and Pecorino

When I received the May issue of Martha Stewart Living, I earmarked every pea recipe- they all sounded so delicious!! I picked this buttery, sweet, rich, and easy dish to try first. (We also can’t eat enough pappardelle in my house!) My son declared that it was “addictive.” 🙂 It was absolutely DELICIOUS. This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 3 cups shelled green peas (from 3 pounds in pods), or 3 cups frozen peas, thawed
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 pound pappardelle, tagliatelle, or fettuccine
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano

1. Blanch fresh peas in a large pot of salted boiling water until bright green and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander with a slotted spoon. (If using frozen peas, skip this step.)
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add peas and lightly mash with the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, return pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain. (I put a measuring cup in my colander so that I don’t forget to reserve the pasta water!)
4. Add pasta to skillet and cook, tossing to coat with pea mixture. Add butter and 1/2 cup pasta water; toss to evenly coat (adding more water if necessary). Top with cheese, season with pepper, and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Raw Baby Red Kale Salad with Chiles & Pecorino

Two Years Ago:

• Linguine with Asparagus Pesto
• Fresh Fettuccine with Peas, Garlic, & Ricotta Salata
• Fresh Whole Wheat-Egg Pasta Dough

Mushroom Bourguignon

It’s official… “bourguignon” is my new favorite word! I can’t stop saying it!! AMAZING. 🙂 I’m driving my family crazy…

This “meaty” vegetarian dish is hearty and rich with flavor. A wonderful twist on a classic French dish. I adapted the recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Wisdom from an Obsessive Home Cook by Deb Perelman. We ate it over fresh tagliatelle noodles, but it would be delicious with any other type of egg noodles such as pappardelle as well. An easy and elegant weeknight meal.

Yield: Serves 6 as a main course

• 3 T (45 ml) olive oil
• 3 T (45 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 pounds cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, & cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 1/2 cups (172 g) pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups (352 ml) full-bodied red wine
• 2 1/2 T (52 g) tomato paste
• 3 cups (712 ml) beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
• 2 T plus 1 tsp (18 g) all-purpose flour
• egg noodles, for serving (I used fresh tagliatelle)
• chopped chives or parsley, for garnish, optional
• sour cream, for garnish, optional

1.  Heat 1 1/2 T olive oil and 1 1/2 T butter in a medium-sized Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over high heat.
2. Sear the mushrooms and thawed pearl onions until they begin to take on a little color- your mushrooms will make a delightful “squeak-squeak” as they’re pushed around the hot pan- but the mushrooms do not yet release any liquid, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove mushrooms and pearl onions from the pan and set aside.
4. Lower the flame to medium and add the second T of olive oil. Add the carrot, yellow onion, shallot, thyme, a few pinches of coarse salt, and several grinds of black pepper in the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned.
5. Add the garlic and cook for just 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half, which will take about 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the tomato paste and the stock.
8. Add back the mushrooms and pearl onions with any juices that have collected; bring the mixture to a boil- then reduce the temperature so it simmers for 10 to 15 minutes, or until both the mushrooms and onions are very tender.
9. Combine the flour and the remaining butter with a fork; stir this into the stew.
10. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to a “coating” consistency. (I boiled mine down for 10 minutes!) Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
11. When the desired consistency of the stew is achieved, cook the egg noodles according to the package directions in salted boiling water.
12. To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, dollop with sour cream (we omitted this topping), if using, and sprinkle with optional chives or parsley.

Note: The stew reheats very well on the second and third days in a large saucepan over low heat.

One Year Ago:

• Spicy & Garlicky Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pappardelle

Two Years Ago:

• Pastitsio
• Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Ricotta Salata

If you like this you may also like:

• Fresh & Wild Mushroom Stew
• Button Mushrooms a la Creme