Tuscan Ribollita

From Universal Yums: This thick Tuscan soup ribollita, which translates as "reboiled," is made with stale bread and gets better each time you reheat (or reboil) it.It is often eaten with a large drizzle of strong extra virgin olive oiland/or a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese. A traditional dish served in Tuscany during the olive harvest, it serves 6-8 people, depending on what other dishes are served.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Remove the dark green exterior of the leeks (you want to get down to the light-green interior) and wash them carefully to remove any sand. Slice them lengthwise twice and then crossways into thin quarter rounds. Chop the onions into medium-fine pieces.

Step 2

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions with the leeks in serval tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until they are fragrant and golden, stirring occasionally. Do not brown. While onions and leeks are cooking, slice the carrots lengthwise twice and then chop into small quarter rounds. Cut the celery into similarly sized pieces. Add the carrots and celery to the pot and cook until slightly tender.

Step 3

Cut the cauliflower into pieces the size of the carrots and celery. Strip the kale from its spine and chop coarsely. Chop parsley coarsely. In a blender, food mill, or food processor, puree half the beans until semismooth. (You can skip this puree for a slightly chunkier soup.)

Step 4

Add the cauliflower, kale, parsley, beans (pureed or whole), and tomato sauce to the pot, along with a cup or two of water or chicken stock so that the vegetables are mostly covered. Simmer for 2 hours over low heat.

Step 5

Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chili flake (add less salt if your bread contains it). Chop or rip the bread into small pieces and add to the soup. Simmer for an additional 30 to 60 minutes, stirring often to keep it from sticking or burning. (The soup will be quite thick.) Serve with additional high-quality olive oil.