Good Italian 'soup'

[BC]

We sent the in-laws a couple packages of cotechino to try.

They asked how to cook it and we said just boil it for 15 to 20 minutes.

They called us back and said it made great soup.

Instead of boiling it in the package like you're supposed to, they opened the package and boiled the contents until it disentegrated into a soup!

[SANDRO43]

We sent the in-laws a couple packages of cotechino to try. They asked how to cook it and we said just boil it for 15 to 20 minutes. They called us back and said it made great soup. Instead of boiling it in the package like you're supposed to, they opened the package and boiled the contents until it disIntegrated into a soup!

An IntraVenous sort cotechino for the ailing ? Regardless how thorough you may try to be, Directions for Use always leave something open to interpretation .

BTW Brian, if you post in English, you should also explain to the uneducated what a cotechino is : A specialty of several of Italy's Emilian provinces, this fresh pork sausage is quite large — usually about 3 inches in diameter and 8 to 9 inches long. It's made from pork rind and meat from the cheek, neck and shoulder, and is usually seasoned with nutmeg, cloves, salt and pepper. The best cotechino is delicately flavored and has a soft, almost creamy texture.

[BC]

BTW Brian, if you post in English, you should also explain to the uneducated what a cotechino is..
 

Sandro,

That's why I posted here in the Italian section.. You're probably the only one around that would understand how funny it really was..

Leaving for the north this Sunday, flying into Verona via Rome but will try to drop by the following weekend if you have some time.

[SANDRO43]

Leaving for the north this Sunday, flying into Verona via Rome but will try to drop by the following weekend if you have some time.

Brian, time's no problem for a Retired Gentleman . Keep me advised.

[Son of Clyde]

So what is Italian wedding soup?
Is it something my cafeteria concocted or is it a legitimate soup served to newly married folks in Italy?





It is time to get on my camel named Clyde and ride.

[Turboguy]

Humm,

A little over a week from now I will be riding a camel.  I will have to find out if it's name is Clyde.

[SANDRO43]

So what is Italian wedding soup?
Is it something my cafeteria concocted or is it a legitimate soup served to newly married folks in Italy?

Never heard of it, did not get one when I married, possibly a regional specialty (or your cafeteria cook was drunk and passed off a miserably-failed soup as dago ritual dish ).

[ConnerVT]

So what is Italian wedding soup?

Where's Bruno when you need him?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Italian+wedding+soup

[groovlstk]

My fave Italian soup is Ribolitta : I had it several times in Florence years ago on my first meeting with a Russian woman

[SANDRO43]

Conner, you're no Bruno but put me on the right track. However, one should seach for minestra maritata (married, not wedding soup):

La minestra maritata è una pietanza di origine campana, in genere preparata secondo la più stretta tradizione napoletana il giorno di Natale. La strana dicitura maritata deriva dal fatto che gli ingredienti di carne e verdura, si "maritano" in una esplosione di gusto e bontà. La ricetta, vuoi per motivi di linea vuoi perché ormai è difficile reperire gli ingredienti, è oggigiorno un po' in disuso, ma alla tavola dei napoletani attenti alle tradizioni raramente manca questa pietanza.

(http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minestra_maritata)

As you can see (this is an Italian thread, after all ), the Italian wedding soup is a mistranslation : maritata does not imply a wedding ceremony at all, but the fact that its two main ingredients (meat and vegetables) stay well together, in the same vein as when we say that "il vino bianco si sposa bene al pesce" or "il Barolo si marita bene alla cacciagione".

So, it's a regional, Southern recipe, some say from the Naples area, others from Basilicata, others from Puglie :

Cucina Regionale: Puglia   
Minestra Maritata
Questa ricetta ha una lunga tradizione in Puglia: essa infatti viene cucinata da oltre un paio di secoli, ed è una tradizione che si ripete da mamma a figlia ( da cui il nome in oggetto ). Al giorno d'oggi è stata "modernizzata" adottando invece della solita cottura di diverse ore per il brodo, un estratto od un dado a base di carne.

Considering some of its mentioned ingredients (pomodori - aglio 2 spicchi - croste di parmigiano - caciocavallo, qualche pezzetto), did you try it, SoC ?

[SANDRO43]

My fave Italian soup is Ribolitta : I had it several times in Florence years ago on my first meeting with a Russian woman

That I know very well (though it's spelled RIBOLLITA, meaning reboiled, boiled twice ). Your RW probably said it reminded her of borscht.