Name: Minestra Maritata
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian Cuisine
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 qty cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced; 0.25 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes; 6 cup homemade beef or chicken broth; 1 qty onion, peeled and cut in half; 1 qty carrot, peeled and diced 1/4 inch; 1 qty celery stalk, diced; 4 qty sweet Italian sausages, casing removed and discarded and sausage broken into small, 1-inch pieces; 1 qty bunch broccoli rabe, washed and roughly chopped; 1 qty head escarole or chicory, washed and roughly chopped; 0.5 qty head savoy cabbage, washed and roughly chopped; 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated

This soup has grown extremely popular outside of Italy, but you might be surprised to learn that, while it often appears as part of a traditional Italian Easter, Christmas or San Silvestro (December 26) feast. It has nothing to do with Italian weddings and never has.

Minestra Maritata

In a large, deep stockpot, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat until the garlic is just fragrant and very lightly colored, about 1 minute. Add the crushed red pepper and simmer for about 30 seconds. 

Add the broth, onion, carrot, celery and sausage pieces, cover, lower the heat to low and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes. (If you happen to have any leftover Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds, these would be a great addition to enrich your broth! Throw them in together with the onion, carrot, and celery.)

Meanwhile, blanch the chopped greens in abundant salted boiling water, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain well. This eliminates the excess bitterness.

Remove the onion, carrot, and celery from the broth and discard (discard any cheese rinds at this point also, if you're using them). Transfer the blanched greens into the broth and let simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the greens are tender and the broth is rich and savory.

Serve with freshly grated cheese sprinkled on top and slices of grilled or toasted crusty bread. A white wine, such as a Fiano or Greco di Tufo, would be a good pairing.

Minestra Maritata

This soup has grown extremely popular outside of Italy, but you might be surprised to learn that, while it often appears as part of a traditional Italian Easter, Christmas or San Silvestro (December 26) feast. It has nothing to do with Italian weddings and never has.

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