Ribollita

Ribollita is a hearty stew based on this idea. This rich soup loaded with tomatoes, beans and kale turns into a feast when you simply add some leftover bread.

Ingredients:
1 onion
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
4 cloves garlic
4 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
400 g chopped tomatoes
250 g of kale
1 l vegetable broth
400 g can of white beans
250 g stale bread
2 tbsp olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Salt
Crushed black pepper

1. Many Italian dishes start with the classic trio of onion, carrot, and celery.
2. The slowly sautéed mixture of these vegetables is called soffritto, a slightly sweet base that’s perfect for stews and sauces.
3. Peel and finely chop the onion.
4. Scrape or peel the carrot and cut it into small cubes.
5. Wash the celery and cut it into small cubes as well.
6. Crush and peel the garlic cloves, then finely chop.
7. Place a pot on medium heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil.
8. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery.
9. Sauté gently for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Make sure that the vegetables do not burn – if the onions start to brown at the edges, reduce the temperature.

1. Add sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf to the pot.
2. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Rinse the kale leaves, cut them into thin strips and add them to the pot.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth.

5. Drain the can of white beans.
6. Place one quarter of the beans in a bowl, add 1 dl of broth and mash the beans with a fork.
7. Add the mashed beans to the stew along with the remaining beans.
8. Let simmer gently for 25 minutes.
9. Tear off pieces of stale bread and add them to the pot.
10. Stir and cook for another 10 minutes.
11. Season with salt and pepper.