Acquacotta

Acquacotta is a traditional Italian soup from the coastal region of Tuscany. The name "acquacotta" translates to "cooked water," but the soup is far from bland. It is packed with vegetables, aromatics, and poached eggs, making it a comforting and hearty meal. This recipe serves 4 and takes about 1 hour to prepare.

Recommended wine: Pond Paddock Pinot Noir

Acquacotta

Servings	Calories	​Preparing	Cooking	Resting	Difficulty
4	234	20	40	-	2/4

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 stalks of celery, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 zucchini, sliced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

6 cups vegetable broth

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

4 large eggs

4 slices of rustic bread, toasted

Salt and black pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the vegetable broth and canned tomatoes with their juices. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Crack the eggs into the soup, and space them out evenly. Cover the pot and let the eggs poach in the soup for about 5 minutes or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

6. To serve, place a slice of toasted bread in each bowl and ladle the soup over it. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Tips:

• For a heartier soup, add a can of drained and rinsed white beans to the soup before adding the eggs.

• Adjust the red pepper flakes to your liking for more or less heat.

• Use high-quality bread for the toast to add texture and flavour.

• Make sure to leave enough space between the eggs when adding them to the soup to ensure they cook evenly.

Nutritional info per serving:

§ Carbohydrates: 19g

§ Fat: 12g

§ Fibre: 4g

§ Protein: 13g