Kyle and I recently look a trip to Sicily and I had the best soup of my life at a tiny cafe in Taromina on our last day. I did my best to re-create this super fresh, vibrant and healthy soup to pair with our 2025 rosé release. Make it at home and let me know what you think! Adapted from a veggie stew called “Vignarola.”
My Take on Sicilian Spring Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
4-5 small artichokes
Salt
2 cups shelled fava beans
¼ cup olive oil plus extra for drizzling
1 large leek, washed, tough outer leaves removed
3 ounces pancetta, diced
½ cup Paper Planes rosé
Freshly ground black pepper
About ½ pound spinach or swiss chard, cleaned, trimmed and sliced into thin ribbons
Bunch of aspargus, optional
4-6 cups vegetable or chicken stock (homemade preferred)
About 2 cups of fresh, shelled peas
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh mint, chopped
Juice and zest from one lemon
Italian bread, sliced into thick slices and toasted (optional, but not really)
Preparation:
Prep the artichokes: Using a serrated knife cut off the top spiny third of the artichoke. Place the artichokes in a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil. Boil until the artichokes are tender – about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the artichokes. Drain. Once cool enough to handle, tear off the tougher outer leaves until you reach the soft tender ones. Remove the fuzzy choke from the center with a spoon and cut the artichokes into quarters. Set aside.
Blanch favas: Refill the pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. Toss the fava beans into the boiling water and cook for about a minute. Drain and add to the ice water.
Make the soup: Slice the leek in half and cut crosswise into little ¼ inch half moon pieces. Add the olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the leek and pancetta to a soup pot. Cook until the leeks are soft and the fat has rendered from the pancetta, about 10 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts, asparagus (if using), and the rosé wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the spinach or chard. Stir to incorporate into the leek mixture.
Add in the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook until the vegetables are nicely incorporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook just until tender to allow them to keep their color – about 3-5 minutes. Stir in a handful of chopped fresh parsley and mint. Add in the juice from lemon. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Ladle the vegetable soup into bowl and serve with crusty bread drizzled with olive oil. Enjoy with a ice cold glass of Paper Planes rosé for a perfect Spring dish!
