Orzotto alla Trentina
L’orzotto alla trentina is a dish perfect for autumn and winter. Just as the name hints, this is a dish typical to the Trentino Alto Adige region of Italy, where the climate is cooler since it is situated in the mountains.
Ingredients
- 12 oz orzo perlato soaked in water over night
- 10 oz dried cannellini soaked in water over night
- 12 oz Mushrooms sliced
- 1 potato cubed
- 1 carrot cubed
- 2 stalks of celery sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 zucchini cubed
- ½ head of cabbage sliced and cubed
- 8 oz pancetta affumicata or bacon cubed
- 1 liter vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
The day before:
- Add orzo in one bowl and the beans in another bowl and cover with cold water and let them soak overnight.
The day after:
- In a soup pot, add your vegetable broth and heat it up over medium-high heat.
- In a separate skillet, add the pancetta or bacon and begin to fry it over medium-high heat. Do not cook it all the way through, but you want it to start browning.
- Add the onions and sauté for about 2 minutes, then add the carrots, celery and zucchini. Sauté until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the cabbage and sauté for about 7-8 minutes more and then add the vegetables to the broth and cover the pot. Place the skillet for sautéing aside.
- Drain the beans, then wash and drain them. Add them to the vegetable and broth and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Drain and wash the orzo, and add to the soup pot.
- In the sautéing skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the soup and cook for another 30 minutes.
- Test the soup and vegetables to see if everything is soft.
- Cook for another 30 minutes if the beans or orzo is not completely cooked all the way through.
- Serve with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a splash of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
In my opinion the longer you leave this cooking together, the better it tastes in the end.