Zuppa ~ Italian Comfort Food

As in many cultures, to an Italian, soup is comfort food. It is difficult not to feel better after enjoying a large, filling, bowl of soup. An old saying in Italy is that soup does seven things, or, La Zuppa fa sette cose. It is said to; quench your thirst, satisfy your hunger, fill your stomach, aid in your digestion, make your teeth sparkle, color your cheeks, and help you sleep.

A clue to its very importance in Italian cuisine is reflected in the many different names given to different types of soup. In general, a minestra is a soup containing either rice or pasta along with vegetables, and possibly beans. A minestrina is a lighter broth soup, with just a little pasta or rice added, while minestrone would be a much heartier, thick soup. Zuppa is different from all these other soups as it has bread added, either to thicken, or as a condiment.

Italians usually will eat soup as a first course instead of pasta or rice, or as a light evening meal if the large meal of the day was at lunch.Italian soups reflect the imagination and ingenuity that runs through all Italian cooking. Every soup is usually made from scratch with fresh ingredients, or leftover meats and vegetables from a previous meal. A soup can be as simple as a vegetable or two cooked in broth with a little rice or pasta added, or can be a complex multi-step procedure such as one containing homemade stuffed pastas in a fragrant meat broth. Grated cheese is usually served on the lighter broth based soups, while a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil is used on thicker, heartier soups. Many Italian soups are typically served just warm, or at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld, as it is thought the true flavor is lost when serving it very hot.

There are regional differences found in Italian soup recipes, just as there are in other categories of food. In the north, Emilia-Romagna in particular, stuffed pasta such as cappelletti, or Tortellini is served in a flavorful homemade meat broth. The soups in Tuscany and Umbria are more typical of old country recipes, and are heartier with beans, grains and bread used to fortify them such as Ribolitta, or Pappa Pomodoro. In the south, rich, thick Minestrone, or Lentil soups are common, while in the mountains, heavy, rich, full flavored soups, often fortified with bread and cheese can be found.

Now that you understand the importance of soup in Italian cuisine, why not try one of the recipes offered here, or choose one from my Italian Soup Recipe Collection!

Buon Appetito!