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Bowl of pancotto della Valtellina with a golden broiled cheese top and visible bread pieces on a wooden table

Pancotto della Valtellina: Rustic Alpine Bread Soup

A slow-simmered Alpine bread soup with cabbage, potato, and melted Casera cheese, finished under the broiler until golden.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian (Northern Italy)
Calories: 530
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g stale rustic bread, torn into pieces 2-3 days old, crust on
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 300 g savoy cabbage, shredded
  • 300 g potatoes, peeled and diced about 2 medium
  • 1.2 l vegetable broth hot
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 200 g Valtellina Casera cheese, grated or fontina
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste; freshly ground

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a 26 cm / 10-inch oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, then remove it.
  2. Add the shredded cabbage to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until it wilts and turns bright green.
  3. Add the diced potatoes, hot broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  4. Add the torn bread and stir well to submerge it in the broth. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the bread has broken down and the soup looks thick like risotto rather than brothy.
  5. Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and black pepper, tasting first since the cheese will add saltiness.
  6. Stir in half the grated cheese until melted through the soup.
  7. Turn the oven broiler to high. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top of the soup and place the pot under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
  8. Let the pot rest for 5 minutes before ladling into bowls. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Tear bread by hand for uneven pieces that break down more naturally.
  • Keep the pot uncovered once bread goes in to help it thicken.
  • Use an oven-safe pot so it can go straight under the broiler.
  • Grate cheese fresh rather than using pre-shredded for smoother melting.