La Ribollita (Twice Boiled Soup)
Italy doesn’t get winters as savage as ours, but this hearty soup is a classic warmer at this time of year, and celebrates this year’s olive oil, which is usually pressed in early November. Called ‘Twice Boiled’, this soup, like most others, improves by being left for a day and then re-boiled. The texture should be wet, but not a broth. My mamma always serves it with lots of oil and traditional crusty, country bread.
Ingredients
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175g cannellini beans
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1 large onion
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4 carrots, chopped
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4 celery sticks, chopped
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4 leaks, chopped
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250 g carvolo nero, (black cabbage)
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8 fresh tomatoes
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4 tbsp olive oil for frying
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 dried chilli, (peperoncino) crumbled
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Handful fresh herbs, chopped
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Sea salt, fresh ground pepper
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2 tbsp olive oil
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To serve: Country style bread
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| New season Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
| 3 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped |
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Method
- Soak cannellini beans overnight.
- Thinly slice onion, chop carrots, celery, leeks and carolo nero.
- Blanche tomatoes in boiling water, drain, skin, quarter.
- Sweat onion in a large casserole in half the oil.
- Add the veggies and tomatoes and mix.
- Add half the garlic and chilli. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add beans and stir. Cover with water. Simmer, covered for 1.5-2 hours, until soft.
- Remove a third of the soup mixture and mash/liquidize to a purée. Return to casserole.
- In a separate pan, warm the remaining oil, sauté the remaining garlic and herbs, brown lightly.
- Add herbs to casserole.
- Leave for 24 hours.
To serve.
- Warm the soup through, uncovered.
- Place a slice of country bread in each bowl, ladle the ribollita over and pour a very generous amount of
- Extra Virgin Olive oil over the top, with salt and pepper and parsley to taste.
- Mmm, now you can feel like a warm Italian.
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