MUSHROOM SOUP

Soup - vegetarian - lactose intolerant and celiacs safe

1 lb white mushrooms

1.5 oz Italian dried porcini mushrooms

2 medium potatoes

1 clove garlic

1 small onion

1 rosemary sprig, leaves only

3 sage leaves

2 tbsp extra virign olive oil

6 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

Put broth in a saucepan, warm it up and keep it warm.

Soak dried porcini in lukewarm water for 20 minutes.

In the mean time, peel and dice potatoes; arrange onion, garlic, rosemary and sage and finely mince them; dice whit mushrooms.

In a large saucepan with lid, on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and sautee the onion mixture until onion are lightly golden, then add the white mushrooms and mix to combine.

Remove porcini from water and squeeze them; carefully filter water, in order to remove all impurities, and set it aside. If needed, cut the bigger slices of the porcini mushrooms, add them to the saucepan, mix well and sautee for 2 minutes.

Now add the mushrooms' water and about 4 cups of the warm broth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to minimum, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Adjust with salt, if needed.

Blend half of the mushrooms and all the potatoes (if you can find them all, it's not mandatory) until you obtain a smooth cream.

Put it back in the saucepan, on the stove, and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Serve immediately, in individual bowls, with bread croutons and drizzled with some really good extra virgin olive oil.

- If the soup is too thick, use some of the warm broth left in order to thin it.

- If you want, you can cook pasta in it (tubetti is the best cut to be used in soups): in this case you will need to add some of the reserved broth.

- If you like, you sprinkle the soup with a little bit of good Parmigiano, just a little otherwise it will cover the mushrooms' delicate flavor.