La RIBOLLITA
Thick Tuscan Bean Soup
½ cup good extra virgin olive oil
2 onions finely diced
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sticks celery, diced finely
2 carrots, peeled and diced finely
400g tin whole peeled tomatoes
250g cavolo nero or cabbage, sliced
400 gram tin cannellini beans
1 cup red wine
2 litres chicken stock
100 grams stale ciabatta bread
3-4 thyme stems
parsley
In a large saucepan sauté the onion and garlic in a little of the olive oil until soft and fragrant.
Add the celery and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes to soften the vegetables.
Stir in the beans, tomatoes and cabbage leaves. Cook until the cabbage starts to wilt.
Add the wine, chicken stock and thyme. Simmer gently for about 40 minutes.
Add the bread to the pan. If it is very fresh dry it out in the oven to prevent it breaking up.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave to rest for 30-40 minutes.
Serve hot but not boiling drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley.
