Cucina Povera Recipe for Breakfast - Acquasala

Acquasala (or Acquasale, Acqua Sala) is one of the cucina povera--poor dishes--of southern Italy, especially in the Lucane Dolomites of Basilicata and olive oil rich Puglia. this simple fare was enjoyed by farmers and shepherds. Its close cousin is panzanella, a sort of salad that uses torn up pieces of stale bread reconstituted with water as its base.  Acquasala is a dish made from the simplest ingredients that any peasant contadina had around: eggs, onion, water, peppers or tomatoes and especially, the stale bread. Think of it as a mashup between eggs Benedict and an Italian broth, where the broth replaces the Hollandaise sauce. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or even a light dinner.

Friselli

In it's simplest form, an acquasala is stale, crusty bread topped with a poached egg and a flavored broth poured over. The bread soaks up the resulting broth and its flavors. I'm certain that others in southern Italy might replace the stale bread with Friselli, a bagel-shaped, bone-dry toasted bread sold in bags in southern Italy. One easy to find bread nowadays is the ciabatta, left to go a bt stale or with the thick slices toasted before use.

Don't think of this recipe as being ironclad in terms of the ingredients. Be creative. This is cucina povera, after all, which means that cooks used what they had on hand depending on the season: eggs from their chickens, stale bread, tomatoes, peppers, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, white or red onions, a bit of garlic, mushrooms and greens. Southerners loved their greens, whether a bit of dandilion, arugla or chives. To be absolutely authentic, warm water (not boiled) is traditionally used to make the "broth", with the peppers and onions added to it for a light fusion of flavors. In Puglia it's often made without eggs and many more more ingredients, a cross between a soup and a salad.

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Pepperone Crusco

Acquasala Lucan

Ingredients (serves 2, with one egg each)

• 2 thick slices hearty bread, stale is best (you can also use cubed bread. Ciabatta works well). You can also use rustic croutons that you tossed with olive oil and toasted in the oven ahead of time.   
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups  water
• 1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, finely diced
• 2 small pimentos, chopped roughly (alternate, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes)           NOTE: For authenticity, use long, dried hot chile peppers, called pepperone crusco in Basilicata.
• 1 small tomato, diced (for more flavor, dice 2 sun-dried tomatoes)
• 4 tablespoons oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated or shredded Parmigiano Reggiano or crumbled ricotta salata for topping off the dish.

 
Directions

1. Place the olive oil in a saute pan, then add the onions and cook until translucent.
2. Next, add the pimentos and tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes
3. Add the water and salt and bring to a gentle boil.
4. As you would do when poaching eggs, crack open each egg and place each gently into the pan, keeping the eggs from touching. Try to keep the whites of each egg from spreading as you drop them into the broth. Simmer the eggs until the whites are cooked through but the yolk is still runny. Remove from heat when done.
5. Place one slice (or cubes) of bread in the center of each of your bowls, then place an egg on top of each.
6. Gently pour the broth over the eggs, using half for each serving.
7. Top off with a dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano, caciocavallo or crumbled ricotta salata. Salt and pepper to taste.

Boun appetito!

--Jerry Finzi

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Pugliese Acquasala...

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