Zuppa di Lenticchie di Castelluccio alla Marchigiana
A fragrant Sibillini mountain lentil soup simmered with cured pork and herbs, known locally as zuppa de lenticchie. Hearty, earthy, and deeply comforting.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 440 kcal
Equipment
- •Terracotta pot or Dutch oven
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef knife
- •Chopping board
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 56 g
- fibre
- 16 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 440 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the Castelluccio lentils in cold water and pick out any stray pebbles.
- 2
Heat the olive oil and diced pancetta in a terracotta pot over medium heat until the fat renders.
- 3
Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and whole garlic clove to the pot.
- 4
Cook gently for eight minutes until the vegetables soften and turn sweet.
- 5
Stir in the tomato passata and fry for two minutes until fragrant.
- 6
Add the drained lentils and rosemary sprig, stirring to coat in the aromatic fat.
- 7
Pour in the warm water and bring the pot to a gentle boil.
- 8
Lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer for thirty minutes until the lentils are tender.
- 9
Remove and discard the whole garlic clove and woody rosemary stem.
- 10
Season the soup with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- 11
Place a slice of toasted country bread into each shallow soup bowl.
- 12
Ladle the hot lentil soup over the bread and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Chef's tips
Castelluccio lentils have extremely thin skins and never require pre-soaking. Always salt the soup near the end of cooking so the lentil skins remain tender.
Ingredient substitutions
- pancetta tesa → guanciale, or omit entirely and add 15 ml more olive oil for a vegan version
- Castelluccio di Norcia PGI lentils → Puy green lentils or small brown mountain lentils
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of hot water to loosen.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Pre-soaking Castelluccio lentils, which causes their delicate skins to split and turn mushy.
- •Salting the broth at the start, which hardens the skins of the pulses.
- •Boiling vigorously rather than simmering gently, which breaks down the lentils unevenly.
Serving suggestions
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