9

400 gm day-old white

bread, thickly sliced

2 garlic cloves, halved

30 gm butter, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp grapeseed or other

neutral oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock

200 ml dry white wine

1 tsp thyme leaves

300 gm (3 cups) coarsely grated

Toma Piemontese (see note)

100 gm parmesan, finely grated

Zuppa dei Valdesi

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 55 MINS

This style of bread and cheese soup is common in the cooler alpine regions of Italy. The
version in Aosta, Piedmont’s neighbour, is made cabbage and fontina, while this classic
Piedmontese version, from Valli Valdesi, leaves out the cabbage and uses the region’s
local cheese, Toma Piemontese. Don’t let that stop you from picking another Italian
melting cheese, though (see Five of a Kind, p73), they’ll all produce a rib-sticking result.

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Rub

bread with cut sides of garlic.

2 Heat butter and oil in a large

casserole over medium heat,

add onion and stir until softened

(6-10 minutes). Transfer onion

to a bowl.

3 Meanwhile, combine stock,

wine and thyme in a saucepan,

bring to the boil and season

to taste.

4 Layer bread, most of the

cheeses and onion in the

casserole, then scatter the

remaining cheeses on top.

Pour on hot stock and bake

uncovered, pushing bread

down into stock occasionally,

until cheese melts and bread is

golden on top (30-40 minutes).

Divide among bowls to serve.

NoteToma Piemontese is

available from select cheese

shops, such as Formaggi Ocello.

If it’s unavailable, substitute with

another similar melting cheese,

such as Fontina.➤