Italian Ribollita

Ingredients

• ●¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ●1 large onion, diced
• ●2 carrots, diced
• ●2 celery stalks, diced
• ●4 cloves garlic, minced
• ●1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ●1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes
• ●2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked from dried)
• ●1 large bunch lacinato (dinosaur/Tuscan) kale, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
• ●1 small bunch Swiss chard, stems diced, leaves chopped
• ●6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable or chicken broth
• ●1 Parmesan rind (optional but wonderful)
• ●2 sprigs fresh thyme
• ●1 bay leaf
• ●6 oz (170 g) stale crusty bread (country loaf or ciabatta), torn into rough 1-inch pieces
• ●Salt and black pepper to taste
• ●Grated Parmesan, for serving
• ●Best olive oil you have, for finishing

Method

1. **Build the soffritto.** Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery with a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to color. Add garlic and tomato paste, stir for 2 minutes.
2. **Add liquids and beans.** Pour in the diced tomatoes and broth. Add the Parmesan rind, thyme, and bay leaf. Add two-thirds of the beans (reserve the remaining third). Bring to a simmer.
3. **Mash the reserved beans.** Take the remaining beans and mash them roughly with a fork or blend quickly with an immersion blender. Stir this bean paste into the soup — it thickens the broth and gives the soup its characteristic body.
4. **Add the greens.** Stir in the kale and chard (stems first, then leaves). Push them down into the liquid. They'll wilt dramatically. Simmer for 20 minutes until the greens are very tender.
5. **Add the bread.** Stir in the torn bread pieces. Let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The bread will absorb liquid and begin to break down, thickening the soup further. If it gets too thick, add a splash of broth or water. It should be thick enough that a spoon can stand up in it.
6. **Season and rest.** Remove the Parmesan rind (scrape off any melted cheese and stir it back in), bay leaf, and thyme stems. Season generously with salt and pepper. For the most authentic result, let the ribollita cool to room temperature, refrigerate overnight, and reheat ("reboil") the next day.
7. **Serve** in deep bowls with a generous drizzle of your best olive oil and a shower of grated Parmesan. A crack of black pepper on top.
8. *Storage:** Ribollita is better the next day — and the day after that. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. It thickens as it sits; add broth or water when reheating. Freezes well for up to 3 months (freeze before adding bread if possible; add bread when reheating).