First things first.

First Things First 

COOLER weather, warmer food. The time has not yet come for the hearty dishes of winter, but we are starting to want something warming to eat. I think light soups are perfect for this season--especially the easy-to-make soups of Italy, such as the two I offer in this column. The Tuscan Vegetable Soup is a particular favorite--everybody who has eaten it once asks for encores.

Another option for first courses in this in-between season is rice or pasta with one of any number of sauces. But for those who have never visited Italy, I should explain that in the Big Boot these pasta dishes really are first courses--primi piatti, as we say over there. Every native winces when his foreign guests want to eat their fill of pasta, instead of consuming a modest portion and then going on to the secondo piatto of meat or fish. I know this only too well through my completely American children, who when they go out on their own fill up with rice or pasta only. Whoever eats with me, however, will eat the time-honored way for simple, family-style meals: a small helping of the primo piatto, and a bigger one of the secondo.

Some of my readers may be surprised to see rice placed on the same footing as pasta. Rice is eaten largely in northern Italy, in the Po Plain, where it is grown. Risottos are at home in Milan, Venice, and environs. The rest of the country, however, remains devoted to pasta.

The great divide in pastas is between those made from flour and water only, and those enriched with eggs and a little olive oil. The very poor Italians fill up with pasta made from flour and water, because it is the cheapest way of getting a hot cooked dish into one's stomach. This pasta will be dressed with a little olive oil and garlic, or with a simple sauce made of tomatoes. The reason why most Italian maids are so good at making home-made pasta of the enriched sort is that they had to make the plain version at home for years. At least that is what my mother (RIP) used to say.

This divide was historically along regional lines, with the poorer regions being mainly in the south and the richer in the north. It is still true today that north of Rome you can lead the life you want to lead--witness the British and American invasion of Tuscany, the modern bustle of Milan and Turin, and the interest displayed by non-Italians in the preservation of Venice. Yes, I am all for preserving Venice, though I suspect strongly that most people's motives in wishing to do so are to preserve a tourist's paradise. But that is another story.

Here are the light soups I mentioned above:

LEEK AND RICE SOUP

4 or 5 medium leeks, trimmed, washed, and cut into rounds 1/4 cup raw rice or 1/2 cup leftover rice, preferably plain rice 3 cups hot stock (it's fine to make it from bouillon cubes) 1 cup dry white wine

Cook the leeks and the rice together until softened in just enough water to prevent scorching. Add the stock and the white wine and simmer (do not boil) for 15 minutes or until very hot. (Serves 3 or 4.)

NOTE: If you are using leftover rice, add it after adding the hot stock and wine.

The second soup, Tuscan Vegetable Soup, contains no water or stock; the vegetables, cooked together, make it spoon-eating. However, it is essential that the vegetables go into the soup in the order given. This is not a more-or-less soup like the other one.

TUSCAN VEGETABLE SOUP

2 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 large zucchini, sliced 1 medium head romaine lettuce, shredded 2 pounds fresh peas, shelled, or a 10-ounce package of frozen peas 1 cup parsley sprigs, minced 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, minced (optional) 2 pounds fresh broad beans or lima beans, shelled, or a 10-ounce package of frozen limas 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper Freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

1. Use a deep three-quart casserole which can go to the table. Put the sliced tomatoes on the bottom. Top with sliced onions and garlic.

2. Top the onions with the zucchini. Then add the shredded lettuce. Place the peas on top of the lettuce.

3. Sprinkle half the parsley and all the basil over the peas and add the beans.

4. Sprinkle the remaining parsley and the olive oil over all. Be sure to follow this order and do not stir or mix the vegetables.

5. Cook, covered, over moderate heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables at the bottom of the casserole release their liquid. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Now, stir the vegetables and mix well. Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Serve hot or lukewarm with Parmesan cheese. (Serves 6.)