🥣 Soup with Pork Skin: A Peasant Recipe from Valtellinese Tradition
A humble and nutritious dish that tells the culture of “waste not, want not” 🐷🍲
Introduction
The soup with pork skin is one of those dishes that encapsulates all the peasant wisdom and the ability to make use of every part of the animal, especially the pig, which has always been a symbol of abundance and self-sufficiency.
The pork skin – the cleaned and cut skin of the pig – was cooked together with legumes and vegetables, creating a hearty, flavorful dish perfect for winter.
In the past, this dish represented an occasion for celebration and sharing, especially during the pig processing period. Today it is a true recovery recipe, ideal for those who love authentic and rustic cooking. 🐽💛
📝 Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 500 g of fresh vegetables of choice (spinach, carrots, zucchini)
- 300 g of mixed dried legumes (beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils)
- 200 g of pork skin (already cleaned)
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 leek
- 1 onion
- Pancetta or lard to taste
- Butter to taste
- Boiling water to taste
- Salt to taste
- Grated Grana cheese (optional)
👩🍳 Step-by-step Preparation
- Soak the dried legumes in warm water for one whole night.
- Cut the pork skin into thin strips.
- In a large pot, melt a knob of butter and sauté the chopped onion with diced pancetta or lard.
- Add the
and cover with boiling water. - Add the cut pork skin and let it simmer for about 30–40 minutes.
- Halfway through cooking, add the fresh vegetables cut into small pieces, along with celery and leek.
- Adjust with salt and continue cooking until all the vegetables and legumes are tender.
- Serve the soup hot, garnished with a sprinkle of grated Grana cheese if desired.
🍽️ Ideal for…
- A substantial winter lunch
- Using up simple and humble ingredients
- Bringing to the table the authentic flavors of the past
The image of the dishes is purely indicative and does not necessarily correspond exactly to the recipe
