Minestra di Pane e Latte

Name: Minestra di Pane e Latte
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Alpine Italian
Ingredients: 300 g stale rustic country bread; 1000 ml whole cow's milk; 200 ml Water; 5 g Fine sea salt; 50 g Unsalted butter; 40 g trentingrana cheese; 1 pinch Nutmeg; 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

A comforting Trentino supper of stale rustic bread simmered in whole milk until creamy, finished with melted mountain butter and Grana del Trentino.

🇮🇹Italy· Trentino-Alto Adige

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 20 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 390 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

300 g stale rustic country bread — crusty white or semi-wholemeal loaf, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
1000 ml whole cow's milk — preferably fresh full-fat mountain milk
200 ml Water — to keep the broth light and prevent scorching
5 g Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
50 g Unsalted butter — Alpine mountain butter
40 g trentingrana cheese — freshly grated hard mountain cheese
1 pinch Nutmeg — freshly grated
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper — coarsely ground

Equipment

•heavy-based saucepan
•wooden spoon
•small frying pan
•box grater
•ladle

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 390 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 44 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 15 g
calories: 390 kcal

Instructions

1
Pour the whole milk and water into a heavy-based saucepan.
2
Add the fine sea salt and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
3
Tumble the stale bread pieces directly into the warm milk.
4
Lower the heat so the milk bubbles very gently without catching at the bottom.
5
Simmer for ten minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon until the bread softens.
6
Press the bread gently against the sides of the pot to break it into a thick porridge.
7
Melt the butter in a small pan until foaming and golden hazelnut brown.
8
Ladle the hot, thick bread soup into warm wide ceramic bowls.
9
Drizzle the hot melted butter generously over each serving.
10
Top with grated Trentingrana cheese, a grating of nutmeg, and a crack of black pepper.

Chef's tips

Use dense, naturally leavened bread that has dried out completely; fresh bread will turn unpleasantly gummy. Keep the heat low and stir constantly to prevent milk from scorching on the base of the pan. For an old-fashioned sweet variation favoured for children, omit the cheese and pepper, finishing instead with a light dusting of caster sugar and cinnamon.

Ingredient substitutions

Trentingrana cheese → Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
stale rustic country bread → stale sourdough loaf or traditional mountain rye bread

Storage

Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of fresh milk, stirring constantly until hot.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling the milk too vigorously, which causes it to boil over or separate.
•Neglecting to stir frequently, leading to burnt milk on the bottom of the pot.
•Using soft commercial sandwich bread, which dissolves into paste rather than yielding a rustic texture.

Serving suggestions

Serve steaming hot in deep earthenware bowls for a light mountain supper.Accompany with a simple side of stewed winter cabbage or chicory.Enjoy with a glass of crisp Trentino white wine such as Nosiola.