Time & Results

• Preparation time: 20 - 25 minutes.
• Cooking time: 60 - 70 minutes.
• Servings: 6 250-ml (one cup) servings.

Ingredients:

Broth:

• 8 cups (2 litres) of low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock
• 1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
• 24 large cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (1)
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Bread:

• 12 slices 1- or 2-day old Italian bread (each 1" (2.5 cm) thick)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Garnish:

• 1/4 cup (60 ml measure) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (2)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup (125 ml measure) of freshly grated pecorino cheese, such as Romano (3)

Preparation

1. Combine the broth, wine, red pepper flakes, pepper, salt, and all but 4 of the garlic halves in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, covered, about an hour, or until the garlic is very soft.
2. Heat the butter and olive oil for the bread in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter has melted, remove the skillet from the heat. Using a pastry brush or similar, brush the oil and butter mixture onto both sides of the bread slices. Return the skillet to stove and sautÈ until golden brown as many bread slices as will fit in the skillet. Remove the finished bread slices from the skillet and rub the hottest side of each slide with one of the saved garlic halves.
3. Combine the parsley, scallions, and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Carefully strain the brother through a fine sieve, lined with several layers of cheesecloth (4). Then ladle the soup into 6 large warmed soup bowls, floating 2 slices of bread in each. Sprinke some of the parsley mixture over each slice, then top with a drizzle of extra-virgin olice oil and then the grated cheese.

Notes

1. The red pepper flakes really make or break this recipe. I use a dangerously hot, high-quality, freshly dried crushed red pepper flake, but no more than 1/2 teaspoon or it's too hot even for our tastes.
2. Scallions may be sold as spring onions, salad onions, or green onions. Any of these can be used interchangeably.
3. I've never actually used Romano cheese. I always used freshly grated parmesan cheese from the deli counter or that I've grated myself from a block. Try to avoid the Kraft stuff that keeps for a lifetime, unrefrigerated in the cupboard. I don't think that turns out nearly as well.
4. I don't strain my broth as I like the chunks of garlic left over in it as well as the dregs of the pepper flakes at the bottom.

Personal Notes

We love this soup. We probably have it it at least once a month. Simmering the garlic for at least an hour makes it really mellow and nummy.

This recipe appeared originally in Famularo, Joe (1998). Good & Garlickly, Thick & Hearty, Soul-Satisfying, More-Than-Minestrone Italian Soup Cookbook. pp: 25-26. Workman Publishing Company (New York).