Ribollita
A classic “peasant food” originating in the Central, Tuscan region of Italy, Ribollita (Italian word for “reboiled”) is a very thick stew made with dark greens, all kinds of beans and vegetables, olive oil, and thickened with day-old bread. Most people think it came to be a traditional staple because it is comprised of just about anything leftover in the ice box and/or pantry.
A classic “throw everything you got in the pot and make it taste good” kind of dish. You can, therefore, find lots of variations on this recipe, and you can also experiment with this dish using what you have available. But first off, try it like this, the age-old, tried and true Tuscany way.
Ingredients: (enough for 10 servings)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling (for authentic Italian taste, get Partanna brand)
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots or equiv. winter squash, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 14-ounce (400 ml) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound (16 ounces / 450g) cavolo nero (lacinato kale, Tuscan black winter cabbage/kale), stems trimmed off and leaves well chopped. (if you can’t get cavolo nero, you can substitute purple kale, and if you are a gardener and want to grow some, you can get seeds if you Click Here.
4 cups (22 oz. / 620g) cooked white Cannellini beans
1/2 pound (8 oz. / 225g) loaf of day old (at least) bread, left out in the air to dry, crust removed
1 1/2+ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
zest of one lemon
lots of well-chopped oily Taggiasca (purplish and/or black) olives
Directions:
In your largest thick-bottomed pot over medium heat combine the olive oil, celery, garlic, carrot, and red onion. Cook for 10 -15 minutes sweating the vegetables, but avoid any browning. Stir in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, long enough for the tomatoes to thicken up a bit. Stir in the cavolo nero, 3 cups of the beans, and 8 cups (2 liters) water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the greens are tender, about 15 minutes.
In the meantime, mash or puree the remaining beans with a generous splash of water – until smooth. Tear the bread into bite-sized chunks. Stir both the beans and bread into the soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the bread breaks down and the soup thickens, 20 – 30 minutes. Stir in the salt, taste and add more if needed. Stir in the lemon zest.
Serve immediately, or cool and refrigerate overnight, then serve it the next day, “ribollita.” and ladled into bowls, with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh chopped olives.
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