Ribollita

Ribollita is a hearty Tuscan stew that is chock full of vegetables! Here's a little primer on Ribollita from www.recipetips.com

A type of thick soup that is a specialty of the Tuscany region of Italy. Traditionally, ribollita (which is Italian for “twice boiled”), was basically leftover minestrone soup that was reheated (or re-boiled, hence the name ribollita); however, chunks of crusty bread were added to the leftover soup before it was served. Today, ribollita has evolved into a soup in which numerous ingredients are used in addition to the minestrone soup, which is still used as a base.

A true ribollita, which is thick, hearty, and stew-like, is often made several days in advance. A number of leftover ingredients are added to the soup: various meats, such as pancetta, ham, salami, or other similar meats; vegetables and/or greens, such as spinach, kale, cabbage, and zucchini; and beans, such as cannellini. When the soup is ready to serve, it is ladled over slices of crusty bread. Some recipes call for the bread to be toasted, rubbed with garlic and splashed with olive oil, or topped with cheese and broiled.

Some versions of ribollita are prepared fresh; that is, they are not made in advanced but are prepared and served on the same day. In these cases, the soup is removed from the heat and allowed to stand for a time to blend the flavors; then it is re-boiled before it is served.

Here's my version:

5 slices thick cut bacon, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 T. tomato paste
6 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
28 oz. diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 t. ground fennel seeds
1 16 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 16 oz. can French cut green beans, rinsed and drained
3 small potatoes, peel and diced
1 bunch kale, leaves stripped and thick stems removed, rinsed and finely chopped (about 4 packed cups)

Additional olive oil for drizzling on top
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated for topping

Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook for approximately 5 - 6 minutes stirring occasionally. Cook until most of the fat has rendered off and the bacon is beginning to brown.

Add the sausage and break it up into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the sausage has cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain fat. Add onions, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and clear, about 5 - 6 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and increase heat to high to bring the mixture to a boil.  Once boiling, lower the heat to simmer and look cook (covered) for 30 minutes or so.  Stir occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the Dutch oven.  Check seasonings and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

Now here's where you need to make decisions!  You have choices on your thinly sliced Italian bread at this point.  We made some of all three of these:  1)  Lightly brush olive oil over bread slices and toast until golden brown; 2) Lightly brush with olive oil and top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toast until cheese bubbles; 3) Mix a mixture of salt, pepper, granulated garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and brush onto bread slices and toast until bread is nice and crispy.

You can add a slice of bread to the bottom of the bowl and ladle soup over, you can have a slice of bread, a ladle of soup, another slice of bread and another ladle of soup OR you can eat the bread on the side. 

Enjoy!