Eldina Long and Erica Malan of Italy's Gruppo Teatro Angrogna, from the town of Angrogna in the Val Pellice west of the Piedmontese capital of Turin, were at Festa Italiana last week to do two demonstrations of the classic "cucina povera" soup from their area.

The Waldensian soup (or supa Barbetta, in regional parlance) is based on stale bread -- like many poor dishes across Italy -- and for centuries nourished the Valdesi, a group of Protestants long persecuted -- in some places exterminated -- across Europe.

We've had some requests to print the recipe for the supa Barbetta now that Festa is over and so we honor that request here.

Although the ingredients are basic, the soup is not only hearty but flavourful, thanks especially to the cheese and the spices. The traditional soup calls for Toma, a Piemontese cheese that usually can be found in Milwaukee at places like Sendik's on Downer, Whole Foods, V. Richard's and other specialty markets. If you can't find it, you can use any good, white melting cheese, although the flavor will be different.

Similarly, tradition calls for stale bread sticks, but if you can't get those, you can use stale bread. But, it is key to use bread or bread sticks from a bakery (even one at your local grocery store will do). Factory made breads just don't have the flavor or the texture.

A quick note on the name. Barba in Piemontese means "uncle." While Catholics call their priests "Father," the Valdesi call their "Uncle." It is from this tradition that the name of the soup derives.

Remember also that true Italian cooking isn't obsessed with weights and measures. Therefore, this recipe, which comes directly from Long and Malan trusts you can work out the basics. It's easy, do don't worry and just dive in.

Supa Barbetta

One head on cabbage (cleaned and leaves separated)
Butter
Stale bread sticks or bread (sliced)
Toma cheese (cubed)
Salt
Pepper
Cloves
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated)
Chicken stock (homemade is best, but canned is OK)
Sage
Rosemary

To begin, warm the broth in a saucepan.

Meanwhile, grease a soup pot -- preferably copper or earthenware -- with butter and cover the bottom with cabbage leaves to prevent the soup from sticking.

Put a layer of stale bread and sprinkle with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg (equal parts of cinnamon and nutmeg and a bit less cloves), salt and black pepper. Then spread a handful of cubed cheese over the top and sprinkle some Parmigiano. Add another layer of bread and continue the process until the pot is about four-fifths full.

Add the hot broth to the soup pot to cover the layers and cook the soup on a low flame for at least two hours. Gently shake the pot a bit occasionally, but resist the temptation to stir the soup. Stirring will break the bread or breadsticks. Don't worry, the cabbage will suffer so that the soup doesn't.

When the soup is just about ready, heat a knob of butter and add a twig of rosemary and a few sage leaves. When the butter is browned, remove the spices and pour the butter over the supa and serve.

The number of servings depends on how big a pot you make!