A bowl of Minestra caggianese brings together broth, vegetables and the aromas of boiled field herbs. The dish is listed in the national PAT register for Campania. What gives the preparation its unusual structure is a stuffed pocket kept intact as it cooks in the broth.
Regione Campania describes the preparation through a stuffed veal pocket. The veal belly is laid out, beaten and sewn on one side, then filled with grated caciocavallo, minced meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, finely chopped parsley, a pinch of pepper and salt; after that the remaining side is sewn.
The pocket, or pettola, is wrapped in a white linen cloth sewn around it so that it does not break in the broth and lose the filling. Cloth and stitch form a second structure, holding what the meat cannot hold alone.
The pocket simmers over low heat for two hours. Once cooled, it is cut into slices. The escarole is boiled, and the dish is served. Cooling makes the pocket ready to slice before the greens and broth complete the dish.
The slices of filling are soft, with a marked aroma of aged cheeses, an intense salty cheese flavour and the distinct taste of the spicy sauce. What began as a closed pocket is served in slices with broth and greens. After the stitching and the long cooking, the final gesture is almost simple: bringing it to the table.