Ribollita is a classic Tuscan soup, and this recipe comes from Jaime Oliver’s book Jamie’s Italy. This is a great book that has taught me a ton. I used brussel sprouts for this recipe because I had a bunch, but you can use any type of kale.
Recipe for 6 servings:
- 1 cup dried cannellini beans (2 cups canned beans)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small potato
- 1 tomato
- 2 small red onions
- 2 carrots, peeled
- 3 sticks of celery
- 5 cloves of garlic
- Olive oil
- 2 dried crushed chilies
- 1 14 ounce can of canned tomatoes (unflavored)
- 5 handfuls of finely chopped brussel sprouts or kale
- 2 handfuls of good quality stale bread cut into chunks
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Pour boiling water over dried beans and soak for 2-3 hours. Rinse and add fresh water (double the volume of the beans). Add crushed tomato, bay leaf, and peeled potato, bring to boil, and simmer on medium low for about an hour. The tomato and potato help to break down the skin of the bean and makes them very tender. When done, drain water, but keep about a cup. Remove the bay leaf and the potato.
- Finely chop onions, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add to pan and sweat on low for 15 minutes. Do not brown onions, just cook nice and tender.
- Add tomatoes and bring to gentle simmer for 5 min.
- Add beans with a cup of the water they were cooked in and bring to a boil. Stir in sliced kale. It looks like a lot but it will break down.
- Add bread and mix in. If it is too thick, add water. You want it thick but not dry. Cook for another 30 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and add about a 1/4 cup of good olive oil.
