Ricette di Spannocchia
Featured recipe: Crema di zucca ai funghi | Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Mushrooms (Nov. 2021)
Ingredients
Serves 6
600 gr (~1 lb 5 oz) pumpkin (or other winter squash); seeded, peeled, and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 sprig rosemary
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
vegetable broth (“quanto basta” – however much is enough!)
250/300 gr (8-10 oz) fresh or frozen mushrooms, coarsely chopped
Slices of bread for croutons
Additional fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Warm some olive oil in a pot, and then add the pumpkin, onions, potatoes, and sprig of rosemary. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add enough broth to cover the vegetables, and then salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 30 minutes until pumpkin and potatoes are tender. Blend soup with hand mixer (or carefully transfer to a blender) until smooth.
Once soup is blended, add the mushrooms and cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat.
While the soup is cooking, cut the bread into 1/2″ cubes, spread on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and salt, and put in the oven to toast until crisp and golden.
Serve the pumpkin cream soup with the croutons on top and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, if desired, a garnish of freshly chopped rosemary.
RECIPE BOOK: Archived recipes
October 2021: Schiacciata con Uva | Focaccia with Grapes
If you’ve ever been at Spannocchia during the annual vendemmia (grape harvest), you know that the hard work culminates with a celebration—one which always includes sweet focaccia baked with freshly-picked grapes. Now, just get some wine grapes, and you can enjoy this traditional treat at home.
September 2021: Parmigiana di Melanzane | Eggplant Parmesan
As the weather starts to turn cooler (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), enjoy this classic Italian recipe that perfectly straddles summer (with fresh garden eggplant) and fall (with a heartier preparation—fried and cheesy goodness!).
August 2021: Pomodori Gratinati | Baked Tomatoes
There is never a shortage of dishes you can prepare using tomatoes—not to mention canning and sauce-making for later enjoyment—but we’re particularly fond of this Mediterranean-inspired recipe that calls for baking them with a salty, briny topping.
July 2021: Dolce Con Le Prugne | Plum Cake
As we harvest gorgeous plums from our orchard during the summer, we love making this fruit dessert. If you’re not lucky enough to have plums in your backyard, grab some stone fruit at your local farm stand or market.
June 2021: Rotolo di Verdure | Vegetable Roll
Mix cheese, garlic, and pine nuts with whatever fresh greens you have on hand, then roll it into a delicious ricotta-based dough and bake for a fairly simple but impressive appetizer or side dish.
May 2021: Pesto di Fave | Fava Bean Pesto
Savor this favorite spring crop in a fresh, delicious pesto. Pair it with a crisp glass of Italian white wine and it might almost be like you’re sitting under the pergola outside the villa dining room.
April 2021: salame dolce
Check out this favorite Spannocchia dessert made with chocolate and biscuit cookies, then rolled and sliced to look like “sweet salami.”