Ribollita

Ingredients

• 5 tbspolive oil, 2 tbsp for cooking vegetables, 3 tbsp for finishing
• 1onion, chopped
• 1carrot, chopped
• 1celery, stalk, chopped
• 1 tbspgarlic, minced (approximately 3–4 cloves)
• 2 cupscannellini beans, canned or cooked; if canned, rinse and drain
• 1 cancanned tomatoes, with juices
• 4 cupsvegetable stock, stock adds more flavor
• 1 sprigrosemary, fresh; removed after cooking
• 1 sprigthyme, fresh; removed after cooking
• 1 lbkale, chopped (approx 450 g)
• 4 piecewholegrain bread, thick slices
• 1red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cupparmesan, freshly grated
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1

   Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, season, and cook for 5–10 minutes, stirring, until soft.

2. 2

   Heat the oven to 500°F now, so it is fully up to temperature by the time the soup is ready.

3. 3

   Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and add them to the pot with the tomatoes and their juice, the stock, the rosemary and the thyme.

4. 4

   Bring it to the boil, then lower it to a steady bubble, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring once or twice to break the tomatoes down.

5. 5

   Fish out the rosemary and thyme stems, stir the kale in and check the seasoning.

6. 6

   Lay the bread slices over the surface so they cover it with as little overlap as you can manage, scatter the red onion over, trickle the last 3 tbsp of oil across and dust with the Parmesan.

7. 7

   Slide the pot into the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes, until the bread, onion and cheese have browned and crisped into a crust.

8. 8

   Divide the soup and its crust between four bowls and serve.