Acquacotta Maremmana con Uovo in Camicia
Tuscany — Maremma, Grosseto province
The Maremma's 'cooked water' — the most austere and historically significant soup in Tuscan cooking, made by the butteri (Maremma cowboys) from whatever field vegetables were at hand, water, olive oil, stale bread, and a poached egg. Despite its name and apparent simplicity, acquacotta at its best is a study in technique: the vegetable soffritto must develop real depth, the broth must reduce to concentrate, and the poached egg must be perfectly set, soft-yolked, and placed on the soup at the last moment.