The original Maremma acquacotta is a soup typical of the southern Tuscany area, bordering upper Lazio, a land once wild and home to the butteri, our local cowboys who took care of the Maremma cattle. The Acquacotta was born from their need to have a warm dish during transhumances, using the vegetables they had available along with bread and some protein. It is indeed one of the countless ways in Tuscany to recycle stale bread. Tasty and quite easy to make, it is perfect for a convivial lunch.
For more soups, I recommend these recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 423.80 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.71 (g) of which sugars 5.00 (g)
- Proteins 19.95 (g)
- Fat 24.26 (g) of which saturated 8.84 (g)of which unsaturated 3.08 (g)
- Fibers 4.17 (g)
- Sodium 2,776.72 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 549 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the original Maremma acquacotta
The butteri recipe included wild herbs, celery, and onion. Over time, other vegetables like tomatoes, which are a typical Maremma crop, were added. In this version, I have added zucchini, which is not in the traditional recipe, but I had some left over!
- 3.5 oz carrots
- 3.5 oz celery
- 5 oz red onions
- 10 oz chard (also known as Swiss chard)
- 12 oz tomatoes
- 4.25 oz zucchini (optional)
- 3.5 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 4.2 cups water (boiling)
- 0.5 oz salt
- 6 eggs
- to taste Tuscan pecorino cheese
- 6 slices Tuscan bread (stale)
Tools needed to make the original Maremma acquacotta
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Casserole
- 1 Lid
- 6 Cocotte
- 1 Ladle
Steps
Making the original Maremma acquacotta is not very difficult; it is essentially divided into two steps… let’s see them together!
Chop all the vegetables: slice the onions, cut carrots and celery into chunks, slice the zucchini into rounds, and shred the chard into strips
Transfer to a large casserole with 30 g of oil and let them soften slowly, stirring often to prevent sticking.
After about 10 minutes, add the tomatoes, chopped and seeded, and continue cooking.
When the vegetables for the original Maremma acquacotta reach this consistency, proceed to the next step.
Continue cooking the vegetables by adding the boiling water and the salt, and continue cooking for about half an hour with the lid on.
At the end of cooking, the consistency will be as shown in the photo. Turn off the heat and prepare to assemble the acquacotta.
Set aside some of the vegetables to keep the boiling broth free. Create a small vortex and crack an egg to try to poach it (it’s not very easy!). In a cocotte, lay a slice of stale bread (if not stale, just toast it lightly), add the vegetables, the broth, and place the egg on top. Finish with a drizzle of oil and a grating of Tuscan pecorino cheese. Proceed in this way for the other 5 cocottes. The original Tuscan acquacotta is ready!
Tips and Storage
Tips and Storage
The original Maremma acquacotta can be stored for a couple of days in its pot. Traditionally, an earthenware pot should be used because it imparts flavors and aromas that a regular pot does not have. If you have one, keep in mind that the cooking time will be longer. If you enjoyed this recipe, come tell me on Instagram!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I substitute the vegetables?
Sure! The main thing is to have the base of celery, onion, and carrots, but you can give different interpretations based on seasonality or what’s in the fridge. For example, I had some zucchini, which are not in the original recipe, but I preferred to use them.
