Ribollita Toscana is a very popular soup dish which can be found all over Tuscany. Like most of Tuscan cuisine, it comes from peasant origins and combines the region's saltless bread, beans, and cavolo nero (Lacinato kale). Ribollita is a practical dish by its very nature, intended for reheating and use on more than one occasion. In fact, the name means “boiled twice.” There are many, many different recipes with different regions (and even homes) having their own versions but all will include onions, carrots, celery, beans, cavolo nero, bread and olive oil. Humble though it may be, it is a wholesome, tasty, comforting dish and one that's perfect throughout the year. Find a luxury villa in Tuscany, try ribollita out locally and you'll be hooked for life!
Ingredients
Serves approximately 8 people.
120ml cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium onions
6 garlic cloves
65g minced Italian parsley
2 large carrots
2 celery stalks
Salt
Pepper
87g strained Italian canned tomatoes
2 cans of cannellini beans
Around 2l of water
2 bunches of lacinato kale
Bread
Method
1. Pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot and allow to heat. Chop up the onions, garlic, parsley, carrots, and celery, then add to the pot and stir. Add salt and pepper to your taste.
2. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom and burning. Add water, if needed. Leave until the vegetables are golden and soft.
3. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Cook for five minutes.
4. Drain and rinse the beans and add the majority to the pot, stirring again. Leave around half a can to one side.
5. Purée this with a cup of water until smooth and stir the bean purée into the pot.
6. Add the water to the pot and stir before stirring in the kale. Bring the soup to a boil. There may seem to be too much kale but it will reduce later.
7. Crumble the bread and stir into the pot.
8. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer the soup for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more salt and pepper, if required. Once you've got a taste for Tuscany, see what else there is to do in the region.
Serves approximately 8 people.
120ml cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium onions
6 garlic cloves
65g minced Italian parsley
2 large carrots
2 celery stalks
Salt
Pepper
87g strained Italian canned tomatoes
2 cans of cannellini beans
Around 2l of water
2 bunches of lacinato kale
Bread
Method
1. Pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot and allow to heat. Chop up the onions, garlic, parsley, carrots, and celery, then add to the pot and stir. Add salt and pepper to your taste.
2. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom and burning. Add water, if needed. Leave until the vegetables are golden and soft.
3. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Cook for five minutes.
4. Drain and rinse the beans and add the majority to the pot, stirring again. Leave around half a can to one side.
5. Purée this with a cup of water until smooth and stir the bean purée into the pot.
6. Add the water to the pot and stir before stirring in the kale. Bring the soup to a boil. There may seem to be too much kale but it will reduce later.
7. Crumble the bread and stir into the pot.
8. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer the soup for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more salt and pepper, if required. Once you've got a taste for Tuscany, see what else there is to do in the region.
Photo credits: LupoCapra / CC BY-SA 3.0;
