This recipe takes some planning ahead, plus lots of chopping, but it's worth it if you like hearty soups with lots of veggies. I made a double batch last night and am looking forward to a yummy dinner tonight. Ribollita means "re-boiled" ... you make the soup one day, then reheat it the next day. Everybody knows soup is even better the next day!
From Bon Appetit's
One-Dish Meals
Ribollita
8 oz dried white beans (1 1/2 cups)
1 ham hock or prosciutto bone [
I used a leftover ham bone]
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium leek, trimmed and chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium celery stalk, chopped
1/2 medium head red cabbage, shredded, or 4 cups shredded Savoy cabbage [
I used Trader Joe's pre-shredded green cabbage; one bag is 4 cups]
1 small bunch kale, shredded [
I de-stemmed all the leafy greens in the recipe]
1 unpeeled potato, cut into chunks
1 small bunch Swiss chard, shredded (3 cups)
1 large tomato or 1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled [
I used fresh, a tbsp or two]
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crumbled [
I used fresh, probably two tsp]
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 thick slices of Italian or French bread, toasted
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan [
I will use slices of baby Swiss, as my husband doesn't like Parm]
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup olive oil (optional)
Day 1
In a large saucepan, cover beans with plenty of cold water and soak at room temperature overnight.
Day 2
Drain beans and return to saucepan. Add ham hock or bone and enough water to cover generously. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. [
I simmered on low with a vented lid. I don't like to lose too much liquid, so I use a lid, but if it isn't vented, the soup will boil too hard.] Drain, reserving bean liquid and ham. Transfer half of the beans to a bowl and mash; transfer the remaining beans to another bowl and reserve. Discard bones and gristle; chop ham into small pieces and reserve.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. [
Do not underestimate how big a pot you will need to fit all the greens, which are voluminous before they wilt in the soup.] Add chopped onion, leek, carrot and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, kale, potato, mashed beans and about 6 cups of the bean cooking liquid, adding water as necessary to make 6 cups. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. [
I used medium-low heat and a vented lid.]
Add Swiss chard, tomato, garlic, rosemary, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and reserved ham. Simmer until chard is tender and flavors are well blended, at least 1 hour. Add more bean cooking liquid or water if soup becomes too thick.
Stir in whole beans and simmer until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 3
Bring soup back to a boil.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange toast on the bottom of an ovenproof soup tureen. [
I think a Corningware dish is much better, so the toast does not stack up. Tonight I will be using large, flat-bottomed soup bowls that I just bought.] Add half of the cheese and the sliced onion. Ladle hot soup on top, then cover with remaining cheese and olive oil if desired. [
I omit it.] Bake until bubbling hot, about 30 minutes, and serve immediately.
***
I recommend only baking enough soup to eat for one meal (unless you are serving a crowd or making very large portions, you will have leftovers). The soup-soaked bread does not keep well in my opinion. Do not prepare all your soup with bread, intending to eat the rest as leftovers. Make the leftovers with newly toasted bread. Of course, you don't have to make it with bread at all, but I think it is delicious. I don't like soggy bread, but a dense, toasted bread should hold up very well.
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