This traditional hearty Tuscan soup is perfect for using up vegetables and stale bread. It was born out of a necessity to make meals go further and last longer, hence the addition of bread. It was probably also made to be eaten for several days, hence its name ribollita, which means ‘to reboil’.
The trick of adding bread to the soup and leaving it to soak gives this dish extra depth and flavour, making it not only wholesome but super-tasty.
You can use any type of cabbage, spring greens and spinach and any vegetables you have lying around. I have made this version in the traditional way, using dried beans and blending half of the beans with the stock, thereby resulting in a thick soup you can eat with a fork!
It does take a little time and planning to prepare, but is so worth it, plus you can make it in advance and keep it in the fridge to reheat for at least a couple of meals.
Serves four to six
- 300g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed but left whole
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 1.7 litres vegetable stock, plus extra if necessary
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 200g ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and deseeded, or use canned tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 large potato, chopped into small cubes
- 200g cabbage, roughly chopped
- 200g cavolo nero, roughly chopped
- 200g Swiss chard, roughly chopped
- 200g stale bread, cut into slices
- Dried chilli flakes, to serve
2. When the beans are cooked, remove the pan from the heat and, with a slotted spoon, take out about half the beans and set them aside. When the rest of the beans and stock are cool, discard the rosemary stalk and then blend the mixture until smooth. Set aside.
3. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a separate large saucepan, add the onion, celery and carrot and sweat over a medium heat for about three minutes until softened. Stir in the tomatoes and potato and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the cabbage, cavolo nero and Swiss chard and cook for a minute or so until all the leaves wilt a bit.
4. Add the blended bean mixture, cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for about 45 minutes until the cavolo nero is cooked. Add a little more water or stock if necessary. Stir in the reserved whole cooked beans and then remove the pan from the heat.
5. Take a large bowl, line it with a couple of bread slices and top with ladlefuls of the thick soup mixture, then continue making layers like this until you have used all the bread, finishing up with the remaining soup mixture. Cover with clingfilm and leave to cool, then place in the fridge for a few hours, ideally overnight, so all the flavours infuse and the bread soaks up the soup.
6. When you are ready to serve, tip all the contents into a large saucepan and gently heat through. Divide between individual bowls and serve with a sprinkling of chilli flakes.
Gennaro’s Cucina: Hearty Money-Saving Meals from an Italian Kitchen by Gennaro Contaldo is published by Pavilion Books, price £25
Pictures: David Loftus.
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