Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole |Cooking With Amanda

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole

Bon Appétit | January 2014

by Dawn Perry

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Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole and White Beans recipe

photo by Ditte Isager

yield
Makes 8 servings

This dish was inspired by pasta e fagiole, the classic Italian pasta and bean stew. Unlike macaroni, the grains stay nice and chewy, even when reheated days later.

Ingredients

Preparation

Pulse onion in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with fennel, carrot, and celery, placing vegetables in bowl with onion.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add spelt and cook, stirring often, until grains are a couple of shades darker, about 3 minutes.

Add onion, fennel, carrot, celery, and garlic to pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 6–8 minutes. Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook until paste is slightly darkened, about 1 minute.

Add broth to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until spelt is tender, 60–70 minutes. Stir escarole and beans into soup and cook until escarole is wilted and beans are warmed though, about 4 minutes.

Serve soup drizzled with oil and topped with Parmesan.

DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Also try it with: Semi-pearled farro or wheat berries