Ribollita means "boiled again" in Italian, and this learty peasant vegetable soup does, in fact, get a double dose of cooking. Traditionally, the Tuscan-style minestrone is made on one day, then the leftover soup is reheated the next day and thickened with chunks of day-old crusty Italian bread or served over thick slices of toasted bread, which soften in the broth and absorb the delicious vegetable flavors. Top each portion with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
6 servings
- 1 cup dried cannellini beans
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped leek, white and light green parts only
- ½ cup diced carrot
- ½ cup diced celery
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- 1 can (14½-ounce) diced tomatoes and their juices
- 3 cups Savoy cabbage, cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 medium russet or Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
- 2 cups Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves cut into ½-inch-thick strips
- 8 "½-inch-thick" slices day-old Italian bread, such as ciabatta
- 2 whole garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish
- Rinse and sort through the beans to remove any pebbles.
- Put beans in a large bowl, cover with 3 cups of boiling water and soak for 1 hour ; drain beans in a colander and reserve.
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat.
- When hot, add the onion, leek, carrot, and celery and sauté until just softened, for 3 to 4 minutes ; add minced garlic and rosemary and sauté 1 minute more.
- Add 8 cups of water, the reserved beans, tomatoes, cabbage, and salt ; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
- Add potatoes, zucchini, and chard ; simmer, covered, until the potatoes and zucchini are tender and the chard wilted, for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Taste soup and season with salt, as needed.
- When ready to serve, lightly toast the bread slices, then rub each piece on both sides with a cut garlic clove ; place 1 slice in the bottom of 6 soup bowls and ladle the soup over or ladle the soup into 6 bowls and top each portion with a bread slice.
- Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese and drizzle of olive oil.
BON APPETIT
