Zuppa Di Nonno

Zuppa di Nonno – this humble little bowl of stale bread soup is the cause and reason behind my fascination and love of Italian food. My Nonno would often make it for his lunch and if I was around he’d always share it with me, it’s nothing special, but it is Cucina Povera at it’s simplest and finest. Particularly when seasoned with happy memories.
There was always a tray of old bread drying out and going golden in the bottom of his range cooker, he’d break up a big handful into a bowl, crack and egg over the top, grate in some Parmigiano and pour a couple ladles of stock over the top – if there was no stock simmering on the range then he’d just sprinkle a chicken stock cube over the bread and add boiling water. He’d gently fold it all together, the egg would cook in the hot stock and form a kind of Stracciatella and the bread would soften but still be firm. Grate a little more cheese on the top and a drizzle of good olive oil.
He’d sit me on his knee, share his lunch and a story, let me sip his wine and coffee, and have absolutely no idea how precious those moments would one day become to me.

Stale Bread Soup Ingredients.

• Large handful dried stale bread.
• One egg.
• Couple ladles of hot stock, or a crumbled cube with hot water.
• Parmigiano for grating.

And happy memories.