Zuppa di Fagioli e Crauti
A sustaining Trentino farmhouse soup of tender borlotti beans, sour crauti (fermented cabbage) and soft potatoes, known locally as minestra de fasoi e crauti.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-bottomed pot
- •Potato masher
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 10 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 420 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the diced Speck and fry until the fat renders and the edges turn crisp.
- 3
Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 4
Stir in the minced garlic, caraway seeds and bay leaf for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 5
Add the rinsed crauti and fry gently for 3 minutes to coat in the rendered fat.
- 6
Tumble in the cubed potatoes and half of the cooked borlotti beans.
- 7
Pour in the warm stock, bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
- 8
Cover with a lid and cook for 25 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender.
- 9
Mash roughly one third of the potatoes and beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
- 10
Add the remaining whole beans and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until thick and cohesive.
- 11
Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper before ladling into warm bowls.
Chef's tips
Rinse the sauerkraut briefly under cold water if you prefer a milder acidity, but do not soak it or you will lose its characteristic tang. Bruising the caraway seeds releases essential oils that aid digestion and balance the rich pork fat.
Ingredient substitutions
- Speck → smoked pancetta or thick-cut smoked bacon
- butter → traditional pork lard (strutto) or olive oil
- borlotti beans → cannellini or cranberry beans
Storage
Store chilled in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the flavour improves significantly overnight.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or stock if the soup has thickened too much.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Over-salting the broth early before the Speck and sauerkraut have released their natural salt.
- •Boiling the soup vigorously, which breaks down the cabbage into mush rather than keeping a tender bite.
- •Leaving the soup too watery by skipping the step of crushing part of the beans and potatoes.
Serving suggestions
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