Ribollita (Tuscan Bread Soup) - Seasonal Recipe

Ribollita (Tuscan Bread Soup)

🌍 Seasonal, Winter Difficulty: ●●●○○

Ribollita embodies the cucina povera (poor kitchen) of Tuscany — a peasant soup born of necessity, using stale bread to thicken broth and extend whatever vegetables and beans were available through winter.

Ingredients

• 250g (9 oz) dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (or 2 cans, drained)
• 200g (7 oz) cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), stems removed, roughly chopped
• 200g (7 oz) savoy cabbage, shredded
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (400g/392g (14 oz)) crushed tomatoes
• 1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 2 sage leaves
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 200–300g (7–280g (10 oz)) stale Tuscan or sourdough bread, thickly sliced or torn

Method

1. Step 1 — If using dried beans: cook soaked beans in water until tender, about 1 hour. Drain; reserve cooking liquid. Mash or purée half the beans for body.
2. Heating — Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until soft, 10 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, and sage; cook 2 minutes.
3. Adding — Add tomatoes; cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes, cavolo nero, and cabbage.
4. Adding — Add stock and bean cooking liquid to cover. Add whole and puréed beans.
5. Simmering — Simmer 40 minutes until vegetables are very tender. Season generously.
6. Layering — Layer torn or sliced bread on top of the soup; push it down so it absorbs the broth. Rest 20 minutes off heat.
7. Step 7 — "Ribollita" means "re-boiled" — it is traditionally reheated the next day, at which point the bread fully dissolves into the soup and it becomes even thicker. Serve in bowls with a generous drizzle of olive oil and cracked pepper.

Tags: dried cannellini beans, cavolo nero, savoy cabbage, potatoes, carrots · Source: Brittani's Almanac