Sometimes ingredients that don’t sound terribly exciting collide in a pot to create a dish that is magnificent. Such is the case with this soup. Bread soup. Even more specifically, stale bread soup. Ribollita is authentically made from specific ingredients found in the typical Tuscan larder, but this version is a little less rigorous. Kale, fresh herbs, tomatoes, beans, broth and stale bread melt together with lovely flavor and texture. It’s not completely virtuous though, so take heart; ample glugs of olive oil and a nice parmesan rind give Ribollita its wonderful richness. Cook this up on a cold night, and consider yourself fed and pampered.
From An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. Serves 4.
Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh parsley and rosemary, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp chile flakes
1 14-oz. can of tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch of leafy cooking greens, like kale, swiss chard, or collard greens, stemmed and chopped
1/4 cup water
2 cups cooked cranberry beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas
2 cups broth (or a combo of the liquid from cooking beans, from can of tomatoes, and water)
1 piece of parmesan rind
2 cups good, stale bread (no nuts or seeds) crusts removed, torn into rough 1/2 inch pieces
Heat 1/8 inch of olive oil in a large pot. Cook the onion, garlic, and celery in the oil, salting them as soon as you add them. Once they have begun to soften, add the herbs and chile flakes. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon as they soften, and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.
Add the chopped greens and the water. Cover the pot and cook over low heat until the greens are wilted. Add the beans, broth and parmesan rind. Bring it to a simmer, then add the bread and 1/2 cup olive oil. Cover the pot, turn the heat as low as you can, and cook for half an hour, checking occasionally. Add a little broth or water if it seems dry. The bread must cook, and absorb everything it can, and then melt into the soup.
Stir in another 1/4 cup olive oil, taste, and remove the parmesan rind. Serve warm, topped with freshly grated parmesan and fresh ground pepper.
Salt Pepper Olive Oil 