Slow Cooker “Zuppa Toscana”

I have a shocking confession which the snobbish world of foodies would never forgive. I kinda like the Olive Garden. It’s the guilty-est of guilty pleasures. Not ‘go there once a week’ like, but maybe twice a year. For someone my age who is not a professional chef or food writer, I have some pretty amazing Italian eating stories under my every-expanding belt. From pizza in Napoli, to countess steaming bowls of carbonara in Roma, to wild boar in Orvieto, to seven courses one evening in a trattoria in Bergamo honoring the Spring asparagus harvest, I am not a novice, nor ignorant of Italy’s food traditions and  heritage recipes. But damn, pass those mythical golden breadsticks slathered in melted butter and a sprinkle or two of garlic salt. And yea, I’d like to add some grilled chicken to my Alfredo please.

Here I adapt one of the chain’s least in-authentic dishes for the slow cooker. A simple, but satisfying soup that goes together quicker than waiting for one of the restaurant’s coveted booths on a Saturday night.

 

Slow Cooker “Zuppa Toscana”

Inspired by the Olive Garden

Serves about 8

 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1¼ pounds sweet Italian sausage

2 large russet potatoes, quartered and sliced ¼ inch thick

4 to 6 cups chopped kale

6 cups low sodium or unsalted chicken broth or stock

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup heavy cream

 

Remove sausage from their casings. Over medium-high heat, sauté the sausage in the oil until browned, breaking into bite sized pieces for about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove to a slow cooker with a slotted spoon leaving the grease behind.

Place the cut potatoes, kale, broth, and seasonings in the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. Add the cream and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook for 30 minutes longer, taste for seasoning, and serve. Freezes and reheats very well.