Ribolitta
- olive oil for frying (and some extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on the top)
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 head of celery, chopped (include the leaves)
- 4 carrots, chopped
- leaves from a bunch of parsley, chopped
- 400g can of plum tomatoes, drained
- a big bunch of cavolo nero, kale or purple sprouting broccoli, finely shredded
- 400g can of white beans, such as butterbeans, cannellini or borlotti ½-1 loaf of stale baguette, ciabatta or similar bread, torn into chunks salt and pepper
Instructions:
Ribollita means re-boiled, so this warming, hearty soup was invented to use up leftover food, especially pulses. Traditionally, it is made with the dark Italian cabbage called cavolo nero but it is just as good with Swiss chard, kale or purple sprouting broccoli. Don’t worry too much if you don’t have all the ingredients listed below – the soup will not suffer.
- Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan, add the onion and garlic and cook gently until softened. Then add the celery, carrots and parsley and toss the whole lot well to coat it in the oil. Cook gently for 5-7 minutes, until the carrots are beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes (snip them with scissors if they are not already chopped) and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cavolo nero, kale or broccoli and the can of beans, with enough of the liquid from the can just to cover the greens. You may need to add a little hot water from the kettle, but don’t swamp it. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, until the greens are just tender. Add the bread, season to taste and then serve with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The soup should be chunky with a pool of liquid -just enough to hold it all together.
- Bearing in mind that the spirit of this soup lies in the juxtaposition of starch (the beans) and the strong greens, and in the dance between chunky texture and lip-smacking broth, you could also experiment with:
- Other green vegetables Substitute peas, spinach or finely shredded cabbage for the cavolo nero.
- Bottled artichoke hearts and frozen broad beans A delicious combination to replace the cavolo nero and beans, giving a slight hint of summer. Just before serving, stir in a good handful of finely chopped herbs, such as mint, parsley or coriander.
- Fennel and broad beans These work well together too. For a meatier kick, just add some bits of lightly browned bacon or torn-up prosciutto before serving.
- Chickpeas and diced chorizo Skin the chorizo and dice or crumble it. Cook it with the onion at the start until its oily juices begin to run. Use canned chickpeas in place of the beans. This makes a marvellously robust soup and the tang of the greens chimes deliciously with the spicy chorizo.