Traditional Mesciua Soup Recipe

If you can’t travel to Liguria this fall but would like to taste something traditional from the Bay of Poets, here is the recipe of a delicious local soup called Mesciua, ideal for chilly and cold days during fall and winter.

The name of the dish derives from “mescolata”, which means “mixed”. It’s a historic piatto povero (peasant’s dish) that originated in the harbor of La Spezia, where women would pick up the grains that had fallen on the pier after the ships were offloaded. Still today, this vegetarian soup is one of the simplest and least expensive dishes you could serve.

Here is the recipe by food blogger Sara from One Girl in the Kitchen.

Ingredients
for 4/5 people
dried garbanzo beans          200 gr
dried cannellini beans         200 gr
wheat berries or farro          100 gr
olive oil, salt, black pepper as needed

Preparation

The night before, soak the beans separately, covering them with water, and let them sit for about 8 hours.

Drain and rinse, then put garbanzo beans and wheat berries in a large pot of lightly salted cold water, bring to boil and simmer for about 1 hour and 1/2.

Put the cannellini beans in a separate pot, cover with cold water and cook for about 1 hour.

Add them with some of their liquid to the garbanzo and wheat berries, season with salt and cook for another 15 minutes.

Season each plate with a bit of olive oil and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.