Description
“Wherever you are in the world, having this old peasant dish will transport you to a farmhouse in Tuscany where you can sit by the fire, enjoy a glass of local wine, and listen to the wind gently tickling the olive trees outside.”
Ingredients
3 cups / 750 g canned cannellini beans (or 10 ounces / 300 g dried beans, soaked overnight, rinsed
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
5 tablespoons / 75 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish 1 medium red onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
14 ounces / 400 g canned peeled tomatoes, chopped
7 ounces / 200g Tuscan kale, chopped
7 ounces / 200g Swiss chard, chopped
7 ounces / 200g Savoy cabbage, chopped
7 cups / 1.6 liters vegetable stock, plus more as needed
4 slices stale rustic bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2-inch /
1.25 cm pieces
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated, for garnish
Instructions
- If using dried beans, in a large pot, combine the beans and rosemary with 1 quart / liter water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the beans are tender, 1 to 1½ hours. Remove half of the beans with a slotted spoon and add to a blender. Blend until you get a smooth and creamy paste. If using canned beans, add half of the beans to a blender until you get a smooth and creamy paste. Set aside.
- In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the potatoes and thyme and cook until the potatoes are tender, 6 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they break down slightly, another 5 minutes.
- Add the kale, Swiss chard, and cabbage and cook, stirring, until beginning to wilt, about 3 more minutes. Pour in enough vegetable stock about 6 cups / 1.4 liters) to completely cover the vegetables and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, adding more stock as needed to keep the vegetables covered and to create the desired consistency. Stir in the pureed bean paste and cook until the soup is thickened, 25 more minutes.
- Add the bread to the soup.
- Stir until the bread absorbs the liquid and starts dissolving, about 20 minutes more.
- Stir in the whole beans and season with salt and pepper to taste, adding more stock if the soup seems too thick. Continue simmering until the soup has the desired thick consistency, about 10 minutes more.
- Cover and leave to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
- Reheat the soup gently before serving and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Divide among serving bowls and top each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Cuisine: Italian
