Crapiata Materana
Crapiata Materana is a slow-simmered mixed pulse and wheat berry soup from Matera, finished with a generous thread of raw olive oil.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 110 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based stockpot or terracotta pot
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Colander
- •Ladle
- •Wooden spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- fat
- 10 g
- carbs
- 65 g
- fibre
- 14 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 410 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the chickpeas, broad beans, grass peas, white beans, and wheat berries in separate bowls of cold water to soak for 24 hours.
- 2
Rinse the soaked pulses and wheat thoroughly in cold running water and drain them well.
- 3
Place the chickpeas, broad beans, grass peas, and wheat berries into a large heavy-based pot with 2.5 litres of cold water.
- 4
Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium heat and skim off any white foam from the surface.
- 5
Add the bay leaves, diced onion, carrot, and celery, then lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
- 6
Cover partially and cook for 45 minutes until the tougher grains begin to soften.
- 7
Add the soaked white beans, rinsed lentils, and cubed potatoes to the pot.
- 8
Simmer gently for another 50 to 60 minutes until all pulses and wheat grains are tender and the broth is creamy.
- 9
Stir in the salt only when the pulses are fully tender to prevent the skins from toughening.
- 10
Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- 11
Ladle into wide terracotta bowls and finish each portion with a generous stream of raw extra virgin olive oil.
Chef's tips
Soaking times vary across pulse varieties, so soak them in separate bowls before combining. Never salt the cooking liquid early, as salt hardens legume skins and slows softening. The soup should be thick and brothy, not dry.
Ingredient substitutions
- cicerchie (grass peas) → whole dried yellow peas or extra chickpeas
- durum wheat berries → farro or pearl spelt, adjusting cooking time down slightly
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of hot water to loosen the thick broth.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Salting the broth at the beginning, which leaves the pulses hard and chewy.
- •Boiling vigorously instead of simmering gently, which breaks the delicate lentils into mush.
- •Skipping the resting step, which is necessary for the starches to settle into a velvety broth.
Serving suggestions
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