A Rich, Traditional Dish for Cold Winter Days
Soffritto Napoletano, also known as Zuppa Forte, is a hearty and flavorful dish that hails from the Campania region of southern Italy.
With ancient origins, this dish is typically enjoyed in the winter months and is perfect for warming you up during cold days.
Made from pork offal like heart, lung, and spleen, it’s a dish full of tradition and rich flavors that is sure to satisfy. 🌿🍖
Why Nonna Loves This Recipe
Nonna loves Soffritto Napoletano because it’s a dish that’s not only packed with flavor, but also with history.
It’s a rustic, comforting meal that was once created by the poor of Naples, using offal and simple ingredients to make a dish full of richness.
The mix of offal, tomato paste, aromatics, and spicy chili pepper makes this dish a perfect winter warmer that everyone in the family will enjoy! 🍞🔥
Cooking Time
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Moderate
Cost: Low
Ingredients
Pork offal (heart, spleen, liver, and lungs) – about 2 ½ cups, cut into cubes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1-2 fresh chili peppers, chopped (optional, for heat)
2-3 bay leaves
1 cup tomato purée
2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in warm water
Salt, to taste
Fresh bread (for serving with “scarpetta”)
Method
Prepare the Offal:
Wash and Cube the Offal:
Clean the pork offal under cold running water, and cut them into medium-sized cubes. 🍖
Sauté and Cook:
Sauté the Aromatics:
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic, chopped chili pepper (optional), and bay leaves. Sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant and slightly golden. 🌿🧄Brown the Offal:
Add the cubed offal to the pan and brown them over high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure all sides cook evenly. 🔥Add the Tomato:
Once the offal is browned, add the tomato purée and the diluted tomato paste. Stir everything together to combine, then lower the heat to a simmer. 🍅Simmer and Season:
Cook for about 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the offal becomes tender and the sauce has reduced to a thicker consistency. Season with salt to taste. 🧂
Serve:
Serve with Bread:
Once cooked, serve the soffritto piping hot with fresh bread for making the classic “scarpetta” (dipping the bread in the sauce). 🍞Alternatively, you can use the soffritto as a sauce for pasta, creating a rich and hearty meal! 🍝
Tips and Tricks
Customize the Offal: You can use different types of offal depending on what you prefer or have available, such as adding pork kidneys or ears for extra flavor.
Use Fresh Bread: Soffritto is best served with fresh crusty bread to soak up all the flavorful sauce. 🍞
Freeze Leftovers: You can store the soffritto in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freeze it for longer storage. When reheating, simply add a little water to loosen the sauce. ❄️
Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 320 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Protein | 20 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Cholesterol | 85 mg |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
SOFFRITTO NAPOLETANO: A Real Strong Soup
Notes
Ingredients
- Pork offal (heart, spleen, liver, and lungs) – about 2 ½ cups, cut into cubes
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1-2 fresh chili peppers, chopped (optional, for heat)
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 cup tomato purée
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in warm water
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh bread (for serving with “scarpetta”)
Method
Prepare the Offal:
- Wash and Cube the Offal:
Clean the pork offal under cold running water, and cut them into medium-sized cubes. 🍖
Sauté and Cook:
- Sauté the Aromatics:
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic, chopped chili pepper (optional), and bay leaves. Sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant and slightly golden. 🌿🧄 - Brown the Offal:
Add the cubed offal to the pan and brown them over high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure all sides cook evenly. 🔥 - Add the Tomato:
Once the offal is browned, add the tomato purée and the diluted tomato paste. Stir everything together to combine, then lower the heat to a simmer. 🍅 - Simmer and Season:
Cook for about 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the offal becomes tender and the sauce has reduced to a thicker consistency. Season with salt to taste. 🧂
Serve:
- Serve with Bread:
Once cooked, serve the soffritto piping hot with fresh bread for making the classic “scarpetta” (dipping the bread in the sauce). 🍞 Alternatively, you can use the soffritto as a sauce for pasta, creating a rich and hearty meal! 🍝
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