One of the best
things about Italian cuisine can be its simplicity, and one of the best things
about colder outdoor temperatures is eating soup. One of the commonly asked questions directed to me
is for easy, fast, and delicious soup recipes. This is the one I recommend all
the time.
This
soup is hearty and because it is loaded with Italian sausage, gnocchi pasta,
tomatoes,
garlic, and incredible cheese it is everything you would expect from
an Italian soup... but also very quick and easy to prepare. If you have never
heard of “gnocchi” pasta before, don’t despair – vacuum sealed packages of the
small dumpling-like pasta shapes can be found at almost all major grocery
stores down the pasta aisle.
Don’t
underestimate the choice of the Pecorino Romano cheese as the finishing garnish
for this soup as it adds incredible flavour and compliments and balances all
the other flavours in this soup beautifully. Large shavings of this cheese are
easily prepared with a simple vegetable peeler – shave it directly onto the
individually bowled soup portions just prior to serving – this looks much more
rustic and gourmet than simply grating it, but either way is fine. If you can’t
find Pecorino Romano, a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano will have to suffice. Until next time... Happy Cooking!
Italian Sausage
& Gnocchi Soup
Makes approximately 13 cups
500g raw mild Italian sausage, casings removed and
discarded
1 tbsp olive oil6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1.5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 – 796ml can of diced tomatoes
1800ml chicken broth
1 tsp sugar
1 – 500g package of potato gnocchi pasta
1 packed cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Generous amounts of shaved Pecorino Romano cheese
1. Add the
sausage meat, olive oil, garlic, onion, salt and pepper to a large pot. Turn
the heat to medium and cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until the sausage
in cooked through, while breaking up the sausage meat with a spoon as it cooks.
2. Add the
can of tomatoes, chicken broth, and sugar. Increase the heat to medium high to
bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the gnocchi and continue to cook for 3
minutes.
3. Remove
the pot from the heat. Stir in the spinach and basil and portion out
immediately; garnished with generous amounts of shaved Pecorino Romano cheese.
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