Zuppa di Cavolo e Pane
Zuppa di cavolo e pane, known in Sardinian dialect as supa de càvulu e pane, is a thick inland bake of savoy cabbage, stale country bread and aged pecorino.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep earthenware baking dish
- •Large saucepan
- •Chef's knife
- •Wooden spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 54 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 22 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- 2
Add the sliced onion and crushed garlic, cooking gently until the onion turns sweet and translucent.
- 3
Stir in the shredded Savoy cabbage and bruised fennel seeds until coated in the oil.
- 4
Cook the cabbage for ten minutes until it softens and collapses into the pan.
- 5
Pour in half the hot stock, add salt and pepper, and simmer gently for fifteen minutes.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
- 7
Arrange a solid layer of stale bread slices across the bottom of a deep baking dish.
- 8
Ladle a generous layer of the stewed cabbage and hot broth over the bread.
- 9
Scatter a thick layer of grated Pecorino Sardo over the wet cabbage.
- 10
Repeat the layers with remaining bread, cabbage, broth and cheese, finishing with cheese on top.
- 11
Bake for twenty minutes until the top is golden and bubbling and the bread has absorbed the broth.
- 12
Rest the dish for ten minutes before serving at the table.
Chef's tips
Use dense durum wheat bread with a sturdy crumb so it holds together as it soaks. Let the dish rest after baking so the broth fully penetrates the bread before portioning.
Ingredient substitutions
- Pecorino Sardo DOP → Fiore Sardo or mature Pecorino Romano, keeping in mind Romano has a sharper, saltier profile
- Savoy cabbage → white winter cabbage, cooked for five minutes longer to ensure tenderness
Storage
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat in a moderate oven at 170 degrees C with a splash of hot water until steaming throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using soft white sandwich bread, which disintegrates into liquid rather than holding soft structure.
- •Adding too little broth, leaving the lower bread layer dry and hard.
- •Serving straight from the oven before the liquid has settled into the bread.
Serving suggestions
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