Tuscan Ribollita Soup

Step 1

Soak the cannellini beans in large pot of water the day before preparing the recipe. Rinse and boil them in plenty of water with 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove and salt, until they are cooked al dente. Blend 1 ladle of cooking water with half of the cooked beans and reserve the rest of the cooking water.

Step 2

Clean the kale, removing the fibrous central part; clean the chard, carrots, onions, celery and zucchini and cut them into 1/4"-1/2" pieces.

Step 3

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and zucchini  and sauté for 10 minutes. Dissolve 2 Tbsp. tomato paste in 1 ½ cups warm water and add it to the sauté pan along with the kale; season with salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes, covered, over low heat. Add the beans, both whole and blended, and the chard, and cook for another 25 minutes, covered, adding a few ladles of cooking water from the beans, if necessary.

Step 4

Break up 3 slices of bread, add them to the soup and cook for 5 more minutes. In the meantime, prepare a flavored oil by heating 6 Tbsp. oil in a saucepan with 2 sprigs of rosemary and 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed, until it begins to fry. Remove from the heat and let infuse for 10 minutes, then strain.

Step 5

Serve the soup, with 1/2 slice of bread with each bowl; complete with a drizzle of flavored oil, fresh ground pepper and serve.