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Vegetarian, Italy

Pancotto from Puglia

Pancotto from Puglia is an Italian soup made with stale bread, potatoes, and arugula, serving 4, ready in 40 minutes. It's very easy to make and costs about €1.60 per serving, and the key to success is good stale bread that thickens the broth without turning to mush. A drizzle of chili oil added at the last moment makes all the difference.

Tonight, pancotto from Puglia, a stale bread soup with potatoes and arugula, drizzled with chili oil.

Pancotto from Puglia
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.60
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Pancotto is a peasant soup from Puglia, built around not wasting anything. The stale bread slowly breaks down in the broth, giving a thick, almost creamy texture, far from a thin classic soup. Arugula adds a bitter, peppery edge that lifts the whole dish, and the potatoes make it filling without any meat or cream.

This is the kind of dish to make on a weeknight when the pantry is nearly empty and you've got a day or two old loaf sitting around. Simple to prepare, it works just as well for a quiet weekday dinner as for a shared winter meal, where everyone adjusts their own seasoning with the chili oil left on the table. Mon Chou loves this kind of recipe that turns almost nothing into a warm, comforting meal.

The ingredients

4 people

Bakery

  • Stale bread 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 500 g
  • Arugula 150 g
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Pantry

  • Dried chili pepperoften in the pantry 1
  • Vegetable broth 1 l
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2 cm cubes.

    Even cubes cook at the same rate.

  2. Bring the broth to a boil, add the potatoes, and cook for 12 minutes. 12 min

    They should be almost tender before you add the rest.

  3. Add the bread in pieces and the arugula, then let it cook over low heat. 10 min

    The bread breaks down and thickens the soup, stir gently.

  4. Make the chili oil by heating the olive oil with the garlic and chili pepper for 2 minutes. 2 min

    Turn off the heat before the garlic browns.

  5. Serve the pancotto in deep bowls and drizzle the chili oil on top.

    A little ground pepper rounds everything out.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a stale country loaf or wheat bread, not sandwich bread, it would fall apart too fast and lose its texture.
  • Taste the broth before adding the bread, it carries most of the flavor, the bread only adds body.
  • If the soup thickens too much as it cools, stir in a little hot broth or water when serving to loosen it back up.

The variations

  • Swap the arugula for spinach or chard if you don't have any on hand, the result stays close to the original.
  • For a richer version, top each bowl with a poached egg right before serving.
  • In summer, serve the pancotto warm rather than piping hot, it keeps its flavor and feels more refreshing.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • Extra grated pecorino on top
  • A fresh tomato salad

Storage

Pancotto keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It thickens as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of broth or water when reheating gently on the stove. Freezing isn't recommended, the bread would lose its texture.

Questions about this dish

Can I use fresh bread instead of stale bread?

It's possible, but stale bread absorbs the broth better without turning mushy. If you only have fresh bread, dry it out in the oven for a few minutes before using it.

Can I make pancotto ahead of time?

You can cook the potatoes and prepare the chili oil in advance, but add the bread at the last moment. It breaks down quickly and loses texture if it sits too long in the broth.

What kind of bread works best for this recipe?

A day or two old country loaf or sourdough works perfectly. Avoid sandwich bread, it's too soft and turns to mush instead of giving a thick texture.

Can I replace the arugula with another leafy green?

Yes, spinach or chard both work well in place of arugula. The flavor will be slightly less peppery, but the soup's texture stays the same.

How long does it take to make a pancotto from Puglia?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pancotto from Puglia?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pancotto from Puglia cost?

About €1.60 per serving, or €6.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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