Mesciua

Mesciua is one of the symbolic and oldest dishes in the culinary history of La Spezia. Made with legumes and cereals chosen at random, it may initially appear to be a soup, but once you taste it, you’ll realise it contains much more.

As a “poor” dish of the Ligurian tradition, mesciua originated from the practice of mixing legumes and cereals collected from the docks by the wives of workers unloading ships at the Port of La Spezia. The main ingredients of mesciua are three: chickpeas, cannellini beans, and spelt.

The preparation of mesciua requires time for soaking the legumes and spelt and for their long cooking. Start by thoroughly washing the legumes with warm water and soaking them for 12 hours in slightly salted warm water, along with 100 grams of spelt and 300 grams of lentils. Drain and begin cooking in broth, starting with cold water. Place in a cloth bag an onion, a carrot, a stalk of celery, rosemary, sage, and pepper, and immerse it to boil along with the legumes. Once cooked, remove the bag and pass one-fourth of the legumes through a sieve.
Prepare a sauté with the other onion, finely chopped parsley, and basil. Deglaze with white wine. Finish cooking. Add tomato paste and the sauté to the soup, bringing it back to a boil for a few minutes. Season with salt and serve.

A complete dish of carbohydrates and proteins, mesciua should be served hot, simply dressed with olive oil and pepper to taste.