Here I am again with another wonderful soup 🙂

This typically winter recipe will make you full easily 😀 and I don’t need to say that it’s very healthy.

To make it really tasty I suggest to use a little bit of lardo, pancetta or bacon in the base, and also a Parmigiano Reggiano rind while boiling (that’s a very good tip), but of course if you want to make it vegan just use the extra virgin olive oil.

Of course, to make it perfectly we should cook each legume for the exact amount of hours they require, but it would be crazy, so we make it easy: 15 hours resting in water for all (the cereals you don’t need) and then we cook them for at least 2 hours/2 and half hours, and then you try all of them to see if they are ready 🙂

As always with legumes, since it takes a good amount of time to cook them and prepare them I suggest to cook bigger portions and then you can eat it also the day after, or you can keep it in fridge/freezer.

INGREDIENTS (6 people):

• 500 g of legumes and cereals (beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, farro, barley…what you want and in the proportions you prefer)
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 rib of celery
• 1 tablespoon of triple tomato concentrate
• 2 liters of vegetable broth
• extra virgin olive oil, 5 tablespoons about
• 30/40 g of lardo or pancetta or bacon
• 1 or 2 Parmigiano Reggiano rinds
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt

1. First of all the day before put the legumes in a bowl with a big amount of water, 2,5/3 liters and let it rest about 15 hours. Change the water at least once.
2. Then after that time wash the legumes in some running water and then keep aside. And if you don’t have already the vegetable broth prepare it with the usual carrot, celery, onion, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, etc. a good stock will take at least 45/50 minutes to be ready.
3. Cut the onion, the carrot and the celery in small pieces, and also the lardo or bacon if you decided to use it.
4. In a cocotte or in a high pot heat the extra virgin olive oil and the lardo, then add the vegetables and let it cook until the onion is soft, about 10/15 minutes.
5. Now add the broth (cold or warm, not hot) and then drop the legumes and the cereals (well, the cereals can be added also just later, but it’s not a problem to add them now, they will not disappear, in any case do how you prefer). Add also the triple tomato concentrate, diluted in some warm water or stock.
6. Set the heat higher, and when the soup starts boiling set the heat very low, cover the cocotte/pot and from now let it simmer slowly for at least 2 hours, probably more. Meanwhile maybe you’ll have to add some broth, in any case it’s up to your taste to have it more or less thick. We season with salt only in the end, otherwise the legumes will be harder.
7. After the first 1 hour/1 hour and half add the Parmigiano Reggiano rinds: they will add a very good taste 😉 and you can eat them too later!
8. After 2 hours or so try the legumes, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. This time for me it was ready after 2 hours and half, about.
9. Switch off, let it rest some minutes, then serve it.
10. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and if you want some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and some freshly chopped parsley 🙂

PS: they day after it’s even better 😉