Leslie Forbes

Minestra di Piscialetto

Tuscan Dandelion greens soup

Preparation info

  • 4

    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
top 1000A Table in Tuscany
A Table in Tuscany

By Leslie Forbes

Published 1985

  • About

Translated literally, piscialetto means pissbed, a Tuscan reference to the colour of the dandelion flowers and its proximity to passing dogs. Elsewhere, however, it is traditionally regarded as having medicinal properties for humans.

Ingredients

  • 9 oz/250 g tiny dandelion leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Method

Saute the onion, garlic and celery in oil in a medium-sized pan. When softened, add the dandelion leaves (keep a few for garnishing the soup), washed well and chopped. Cook for 5 minutes and then add water or stock, salt and pepper. Cook for half an hour and then put through a food processor or vegetable mill. It can then be reheated and served over toasted bread.