Title: Celery soup (zuppa di accia)
 Categories: Italian, Soups/stews, Vegetables
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
    1/4 c  Extra-virgin olive oil
      1 sm Onion, finely chopped
      4 c  Sliced celery (1/4-inch
           -slices)
    1/4 c  Chopped celery tops
      5 c  Hot meat or chicken broth
           Salt
      6    Italian toasts (1/2-inch
           -slices Italian bread)
      6    Italian toasts (1/2-inch
           -slices Italian bread)
      3    Hard-boiled eggs, coarsely
           -chopped
      3 oz Sopressata or other dried
           -sausage, chopped
      4 oz Cacciocavallo or mild
           -provolone cheese, chopped
           Freshly grated pecorino
           -cheese
           Lovage leaves or chopped
           -celery tops (Optional)
 
  Heat the olive oil in a soup pot, add the onion, celery and celery
  tops; cook over low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the hot
  broth and salt and bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered,
  for 20 minutes.
  
  Prepare the Italian toasts.  Lightly brown the 6 slices of Italian
  bread in a 400 F oven until golden on both sides. Brush with olive
  oil on one side.
  
  Place the Italian toasts in the bottom of 6 soup bowls. Divide the
  eggs, sausage, and cacciocavallo cheese evenly among the 6 servings
  and place on top of the bread. Bring the soup to a boil and ladle
  while hot into the bowls.  Sprinkle with the grated pecorino cheese
  and lovage leaves (or chopped celery tops).
  
  Serves 6.
  
  [ "We Called It Macaroni"; Nancy Verde Barr; Knopf; ISBN
  0-394-55798-0 ]
  
  Posted by Fred Peters.