Tuscan White Bean And Bread Soup Ribollita Recipes

RIBOLLITA - TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pinches of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, rosemary, and garlic. Cook for about 4 more minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to avoid burning the garlic.
• Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and another few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and juicy. Add the wine and let it cook off, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the beans, and then add the vegetable broth. Simmer until the carrots are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Once the carrots are tender, stir in the kale, the cubed bread, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Simmer for several more minutes until the kale is wilted.
• Season to taste and serve hot in large bowls. Shave fresh Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN AND BREAD SOUP (RIBOLLITA)

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Spread the bread cubes out over a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dried but not browned, about 30 minutes; set aside.
• Process half the beans and 1/4 cup sof the water in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 12 pulses, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
• Add carrots, onion, kale stems, and 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in tomatoes and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in pureed beans, remaining whole beans, remaining water, kale leaves, potato, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer until potato is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Stir in rosemary sprig and 2 cups of dried bread cubes into the soup, cover, and let stand off the heat until the bread is soggy and falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Discard rosemary sprig and bay leaves and stir to break up bread pieces and thicken the soup.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide remaining bread cubes among individual bowls and ladle thickened soup over the top.
• Drizzle olive oil over top of each portion and serve, passing out the Parmesan cheese separately.

RIBOLLITA (VEGETABLE, BEAN AND STALE BREAD SOUP)

Steps:

• Variations: For a sweeter soup, add chopped fennel to your mix. For autumn, add zucchini or butternut squash to your blend.
• Drain the beans and place in a pot with 4 cups chicken stock, 1 clove garlic, half an onion and some salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the bread until deeply golden and toasted. Store in foil.
• Heat 1/4 cup EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, remaining 3 cloves garlic, chile flakes, bay leaf and herb bundle. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, kale, cabbage and a little nutmeg. Stir. Wilt the greens, partially covered, 5 to 6 minutes more. Add the beans and their liquids and the tomato puree. Stir. Add 2 cups more stock (reserve 2 cups for the night you serve). Add the cheese rind to the soup. Simmer to combine flavors, 15 minutes. Remove 3 cups of the beans and vegetables, about half the soup, to food processor and puree. Then add back to pot. Cool and store the soup for a make-ahead meal.
• To serve, heat the soup over medium heat, add the bread to the soup and let it absorb the liquid. Thin the soup with the remaining 2 cups of stock. Taste to adjust seasoning. Remove the herb bundle, rind and bay leaf. The ribollita is done when a wooden spoon can stand straight up in the soup. Ladle into shallow bowls and garnish with a generous drizzle of EVOO, finely chopped raw onion and cheese. Leftover soup can be fried in olive oil in a skillet like potato pancakes or hash, and topped with over easy or fried eggs.