Our hosts at the Palazetta del Vescovo, Paola and Stefano, are an accomplished cook and sommelier, and have created a peaceful haven for relaxing in the countryside. They’ll teach us about traditional Umbrian cuisine on our Walking & Cooking Tour in Umbria as well as great food presentation, while making sure we taste the best of Umbria’s impressive wines.
Ingredients
For the Vegetable Broth
- 2 qts. water
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large stalk of celery, cut into big chunks
- 1 carrot, cut into chunks
- 2 sprigs of fresh parsley
- 1 small tomato
- 1 small peeled potato
- 1 tsp salt
For the Soup
- ½ lb. farro (spelt)
- 3 TB. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 4 small tomatoes, diced
- 4 slices of bread, toasted
- pecorino cheese, grated
- extra virgin olive oil
- Optional: 2 oz. pancetta, finely diced
Preparation
Put the spelt in a bowl, cover with cold water and let it soak for at least 6 hours or overnight. In a large pot, combine the 3 TB of olive oil and the diced vegetables (and optional pancetta), and cook over a low flame until soft. Drain the spelt and add it to the vegetables, and cover with the hot broth. (You may not need all the broth – the spelt should be covered with the broth by about ½ inch.) Bring o a boil, then lower the flame and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the spelt is soft but not mushy. (Add more broth if necessary during the cooking.) Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese, or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a grating of black pepper. Serve with toasted bread. While the soup is cooking, sip a glass of Rosso di Montefalco from Umbria and nibble on a bit of pecorino cheese, then finish the bottle with your soup. Serves 4.
Buon appetito!