Autumn in Tuscany is marvelously colorful and smells like mushrooms and chestnuts. Imagine how cozy it could be to savor a hot, fragrant soup while looking at the foliage outside the window. It really warms body and soul.
Mushrooms are typical in traditional Italian cuisine and bring us back to a time when the ingredients were the seasonal ones and when people used to cook what nature had to offer. Also, that’s why the original recipe uses mixed mushrooms since this is what you find when you pick them – a mixture!
Still, nowadays in the countryside, grandparents go to find mushrooms in the woods with their grandchildren, and they teach them how to recognize the good ones (if you’re not an expert, do what we do: go to a good shop and buy safe mushrooms).
Here is an easy and tasty recipe for you to enjoy this special comfort food with your family and friends. The ingredients and the preparation are simple, like most traditional Italian recipes.
Ingredients (makes 4 servings):
800g mixed mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
4 ripe red tomatoes
chopped parsley
vegetable broth
sourdough bread
olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
How to Prepare It
First of all, mushrooms should never be washed, but gently wiped using a damp towel. They’re spongy and washing them under running water means spoiling them since they’ll absorb the water and lose their aroma. After that, slice them thin. Boil the tomatoes for a few seconds, peel them and remove the seeds.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, sauté the garlic, then add mushrooms and pepper. After sautéing for a couple of minutes, add chopped tomatoes and all the broth. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
How to Serve It
Toast the bread slices and put them at the bottom of the soup-tureen. Pour the hot soup on them and serve it!
Give your Soup a Twist
To make it extremely lavish, pour your mushroom soup into single soup-tureens and cover the surface with some grated Parmigiano. Then, put in the oven and wait until it has a crispy, golden crust then serve it…hot and delicious!
Like many traditional recipes, the classic Tuscan mushroom soup is 100% vegetarian. And if you serve it with gluten-free bread, it turns into a gluten-free dish!
Last but not least, let’s talk about wine! As every good meal deserves good wine, the mushrooms soup needs to be paired with a good red wine. We suggest a bottle of red Chianti, the king of Tuscan wines. It will soothe the palate and the soul.
If you come to Tuscany, grant yourself a treat and join our Food Tour in Florence. It offers a real dive into the food tradition and a chance to visit traditional places frequented by locals!
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Learn more about Italian food by joining a Fat Tire Tour in Milan, Florence, or Rome!
