La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

Original Recipe registered by Florentine Chapter of Academia Della Cucina

12 ounces dried white beans, soaked overnight

2 bay leaves

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, diced

Fresh thyme

2 medium potatoes, cubed

12 ounces black cabbage, shredded

12 ounces Savoy cabbage, shredded

10 ounces Swiss chard leaves, shredded

1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2 cups peeled chopped tomatoes

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces day old crusty bread cut in cubes

Strain and add the soaked beans in 8 cups of boiling water with the bay leaves: cook until tender. Taste one bean to check if it is soft. Discard bay leaves. Strain and reserve all of the cooking liquid. Puree half of the beans.  Add the puree into the reserved cooking liquid.  Set the whole beans aside. 

In a pot, warm 6 tablespoons of oil, add the garlic, onion; cook until soft. Add the celery, carrot and thyme; cook briefly.

Add the potatoes, black cabbage, Savoy and Swiss chard. Dissolve the tomato paste in a bit of warm water, season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the pureed bean broth; cook over low heat about 1 hour.  At the end, stir in the reserved whole beans. Add bread to the soup. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.

Set aside to rest overnight.  Reheat the soup and drizzle with fresh olive oil.  Serve hot or lukewarm with a drizzle of oil and fresh grinded pepper.