“This classic Tuscan soup is best served warm as it allows you to fully taste all of the ingredients. You can also add pancetta for a nice pork fat essence but I prefer the pure flavour of the vegetables. I like to fry the ribollita the following day in a hot cast iron pan with lots of olive oil.” –Daniel Costa, Corso 32
| 1 c | white beans (great northern) soaked in water over night |
| 1 lg bunch | Tuscan black kale, washed, stem removed and roughly chopped |
| 1 lg | carrot, medium dice |
| 2 stalks | celery, medium dice |
| 1 med | red onion, medium dice |
| 1 med | fennel bulb, medium dice |
| 8 cloves | garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1 | Parmigiano rind |
| 2 handfuls | day old bread ripped into small pieces |
| 3 T | tomato paste |
| 1 c | extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling on top |
| 9 leaves | fresh sage |
Place the pre-soaked beans in a medium-sized pot with enough water to completely cover them. Add 4 cloves of garlic and 3 fresh sage leaves, cook for about 1 hour or until tender. Do not let boil. Add more water if necessary, stir occasionally.
In a medium-sized pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, fennel and sage, season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly golden (about 15 minutes), stirring frequently. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stir frequently. Add the cooked beans, kale, and Parmigiano rind. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Allow to cook for 45 minutes, adding more water if needed. Add the bread to the soup and allow to cook for 5 minutes, add more water to keep it a thick stew consistency, stir frequently. Allow the soup to rest for 10 minutes, season to taste. Serve with a generous amount of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Serves 4-6.