Ribollita

Ribollita is a Tuscan soup thickened with bread and or cannellini beans, there are many variations but all should contain bread, cannellini beans, kale and other vegetables. I like a tomato broth and don't like mine too thick, so I add in chucks of bread as I am eating it as opposed to during cooking. It's very economical and made with humble ingredients. It's also very nutritious and comforting. I like to sprinkle on some vegan Parmesan, which thickens it slightly and gives it a creaminess.

The pictures of the soup here, show it with Haricot beans as apposed to Cannellini beans. This is due to me not having any in the pantry. Traditionally it is made with cannellini beans but the haricot worked well too.

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion diced

1 celery stick diced

1 large carrot diced

1 leek trimmed and sliced, only the white and light green part

1 courgette diced

2-3 sprigs of rosemary leaves removed and roughly chopped

3-4 sprigs thyme leaves removed

2 bay leaves

2 fat garlic cloves crushed or grated

1 tin cannellini beans drained and rinsed

1-2 tsp Salt and a good grinding of black pepper

2 tins whole plum tomatoes

1 ltr of vegetable stock

6 leaves from a savoy cabbage, shredded

200g Cavolo Nero or Kale, stalk removed and shredded

To Serve

Loaf of Crusty bread

Vegan parmesan

Instructions

Heat a large pan with2 tbsp. of olive oil, add in the onions, celery, carrot, courgette and leek, cook on a medium heat until starting to soften and lightly caramelise.
Add in the garlic and herbs and continue to cook for a minute or two.
Add the plum tomatoes and their juices along with the stock salt, pepper and stir well to combine. Finally add the beans, stir again and allow to simmer on a low to medium heat for about 20 mins. Do check for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.
Just before you're ready to serve add the cabbage and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Serve in bowls, with the left over olive oil drizzled on to and a bowl of vegan Parmesan on the side and chunks of crusty bread.
Alternatively you can toast slices of bread rub them with garlic cloves and place in the bottom of each bowl before you add the soup.