Zuppa di Lenticchie di Capracotta
A warming high-altitude Molisano soup of tiny mountain lentils gently simmered with aromatic soffritto, tomatoes and bay leaves, served over toasted rustic bread.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-bottomed pot or terracotta casserole
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Soup ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 11 g
- carbs
- 54 g
- fibre
- 14 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the mountain lentils thoroughly under cold running water and drain well.
- 2
Warm the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- 3
Add the diced onion, carrot and celery to the pot.
- 4
Fry gently for six to eight minutes until the onion collapses and turns sweet.
- 5
Stir in the crushed garlic and chilli flakes and cook for one minute until fragrant.
- 6
Add the crushed plum tomatoes and bay leaves, stirring well into the vegetables.
- 7
Tip in the rinsed lentils and pour over the water.
- 8
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer.
- 9
Cover the pot partially and cook for thirty-five minutes until the lentils are tender.
- 10
Stir in the fine sea salt and cook for five more minutes.
- 11
Place a slice of toasted rustic bread in the bottom of each warmed bowl.
- 12
Ladle the hot lentil soup over the bread and finish with olive oil.
Chef's tips
Do not add salt at the start of cooking, as it can toughen the skins of small mountain pulses. If the soup becomes too thick as it simmers, add a small splash of hot water to maintain a brothy consistency.
Ingredient substitutions
- Capracotta lentils → Castelluccio lentils or small brown Puy lentils, which hold their shape similarly well
- pane casereccio → any thick-crusted rustic sourdough or country loaf
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days without the bread.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water until piping hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Salting the pot too early, which prevents high-altitude mountain lentils from cooking tender.
- •Boiling the soup vigorously, which tears the delicate skins off the lentils.
- •Skipping the slow soffritto base, leaving the broth thin and lacking depth.
Serving suggestions
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