Zuppa di Lenticchie Lucana
A rustic Lucanian brown lentil soup simmered with celery and sweet tomatoes, topped with crisp fried peperone crusco and rustic bread.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-based saucepan
- •Small frying pan
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
- •Toaster or grill pan
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- fat
- 11 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 14 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 420 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the brown lentils thoroughly in cold running water and drain well.
- 2
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- 3
Add the diced onion, celery, carrot, and one crushed garlic clove.
- 4
Cook gently for six minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- 5
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, and rinsed lentils.
- 6
Pour in the warm water and bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
- 7
Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 35 minutes until tender.
- 8
Stir in the sea salt once the lentils are completely soft.
- 9
Heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat.
- 10
Fry the peperoni cruschi for three seconds until they puff, then lift out immediately.
- 11
Toast the bread slices and place one slice into the bottom of each bowl.
- 12
Ladle the hot soup over the bread and crown with crushed fried peperone crusco.
Chef's tips
Never salt lentils before cooking as the salt can toughen their skins and prolong cooking time. Watch the peperoni cruschi constantly while frying, as they burn and turn bitter in less than five seconds.
Ingredient substitutions
- peperoni cruschi → mild sweet paprika lightly bloomed in warm olive oil
- durum wheat bread → any thick-crusted country sourdough loaf
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, keeping fried peppers separate.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water until simmering.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Frying the peperoni cruschi for too long, which immediately scorches them and produces a bitter taste
- •Adding salt at the start of cooking, which keeps the lentil skins tough
Serving suggestions
Cooked Zuppa di Lenticchie Lucana?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Basilicata
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
