Zuppa pavese

Battles change history, even the culinary. Are well aware the Pavesi that on February 24 recall the epic battle that took place in 1525 between the French army led by King Francis I and the imperial army of Charles V led by Fernando Francesco Davalos and Carlo di Borbone. The battle of Pavia changed the game of power in Europe, but also gave to posterity one of the most famous dishes in the world: the Zuppa Pavese.

The history of Zuppa Pavese

Every year there is the reenactment of the battle of Pavia.

On the lands of Mirabello.
After winning Milano, the French king Francis I decided to go up to Pavia, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Lombardy, putting it under siege. Battlefield was the Park Visconteo that from the castle of Pavia extended along what is now the the Naviglio Pavese as far as Torre del Mangano and the Certosa at west , Gate of Bordona at Nord and Chiossa Gate at East for a total of 22 square kilometers. Built by Galeazzo Visconti II and expanded by Gian Galeazzo, included the current municipalities of Borgarello, San Genesio ed Uniti and the lands of the Mirabello.

Dish fit for a king.
The troops of the King of France were destroyed by lansquenets of Charles V and the Emperor Francis I fell prisoner: he tried to hide at the Cascina Repentita along the dividing wall of the Old Park, but was discovered. Even today, a plaque on the facade of the farmhouse recalls the event. Tradition has it that right at the Cascina Repentita, to feed the unfortunate king, a peasant put together a simple soup with what they had in the pantry: homemade bread, hen broth, egg and parmesan. Thus was born the famous Zuppa Pavese, still one of the typical dishes of the city.

The recipe for the Zuppa Pavese

The Zuppa Pavese is a typical Lombard recipe made with simple ingredients: bread, eggs, broth and Parmesan cheese. Word of chef. “The secret is to make the broth,” reveals the pavese chef David Pecchio, connoisseur of traditions linked to the territory: “We wanted to ennoble a very simple recipe like the one of the soup giving her to a king who then brought her to the court of France”.

Today the Zuppa Pavese entered of its own motion in the international hotels menus. The recipe is not complicated at all, just pay attention to quality ingredients and you can bring to the table a dish fit for a king!

Serves 2
2 eggs
20 grams of butter
2 slices of whole grain bread
40 grams of Parmesan cheese
half liter of hen broth

Preparation
Prepare the broth, preferably hen.
Melt the butter in a pan and lean over the bread slices. Brown them on both sides. Put them in an ovenproof dish. On all of them break an egg trying not to break. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pour a ladle of hot broth, enough to not completely cover the slices of bread.
Bake in preheated oven at 150 degrees for 5 minutes. Serve while still hot!