Tuscan “ribollita”

The Tuscan “ribollita” (means “reboiled”) is a famous Tuscan bread soup.

The ribollita has peasant origins and was prepared with what the field could offer so many vegetables and legumes, often with lacinato kale and cabbage but also all that the season offered. It was boiled several times on low heat, first with only vegetables and beans then with the addition of leftover bread. The more times it was boiled the more it became good!

1. rinse the beans and cook them in a pot with a little water together with a head of garlic, salt and sage for about 40 minutes, after the water has started to boil.
2. Clean all the vegetables and cut them to the farmer.
3. While the beans are cooking, in another saucepan brown the onion and add the black cabbage and once stewed add celery, carrots, savoy cabbage and cabbage, after browning all add the chard.
4. Add an aromatic bunch of rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and beans to the pan which will then be cooked, making a sort of suop.
5. Then put the stale bread roughly chopped with a lot of crust and add some tomato sauce. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Traditionally served hot with a drop of extra virgin olive oil.

The real ribollita is eaten with a fork, not with a spoon: it is not a soup!
The next day, “ribollita” (reboiled), it will be even better.