Ribollita is a hearty Tuscan bread-and-bean soup made with simple ingredients and full of flavor. A classic autumn dish, it takes its name from the Italian word for “reboiled,” a nod to the tradition of reheating leftover soup with stale bread. Its roots are believed to stretch back to the Middle Ages in the Tuscan countryside.
The Backstory
Under the feudal system, in the country estates in Tuscany, at the end of a banquet, the hungry, hard-working peasants who served the table to the lords and ladies of the manor would pocket the leftover crusts and crumbs of Tuscan bread after their masters’ abundant feasts.
The story has it that before the secret pieces of bread were tucked away into the servants’ apron pockets, they would use the bread to wipe the plates clean of the leftover meat juices. This would allow the dense bread to soak up the precious flavour-filled juices. The bread pieces soaked with the fragrant meat juices from such delicacies as roast pigeon, deer, or wild boar sauce would not be consumed right away, but instead set aside for further preparation.
Later, cannellini beans would be soaked in water, then put to rest by the side of the fire in a fiasco (typically a glass bottle), containing water, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil, and left to cook very slowly overnight. The next day, vegetables would be harvested, cleaned, chopped, and added to the pot along with the soaked bread. The final, and probably most important, ingredient in this simple Tuscan dish is the drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil poured on top prior to serving.
Autumn Soup
This hearty Italian soup is loaded with flavor and is the perfect way to welcome the autumn season. This lovely recipe is not mine; it is chef Adam Leonti’s, owner of the now-closed namesake Italian restaurant Leonti, in New York City. I have only slightly adapted this incredible recipe, which I stumbled upon in Food & Wine magazine. For those interested, the original recipe can be seen here. Although I am a huge fan of dried beans, I skip them in my version of the recipe simply to save time. The Italians would be horrified, I know, but I’ll own it. If you have time, yes, dried beans are best, but I’m comfortable omitting them here.
The real secret behind this nourishing Italian favorite is the sofrito, the finely chopped, slow-cooked mixture of carrots, onions, and celery that gives Ribollita its extraordinary flavor. Cooking to a point of caramelization creates a huge flavor boost to this rustic dish, which is why this soup is more memorable than most.
The reduction of the aromatic liquids, in this case, the crushed tomatoes and white wine, cooks down, leaving you with a rich, flavorful tomato-wine-sofrito jam. You rehydrate the soup base with stock (or water if that’s what you have on hand), then cook it down again with the kale, potatoes, and bread. Beans, both whole and puréed, are added toward the end to thicken the soup, transforming it into a hearty, satisfying porridge you’ll want to make all winter long.
Ribollita
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- One (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
- 1 1/2 cups unoaked white wine
- 8 cups good quality chicken stock
- 3 slices Tuscan-style bread (rustic country loaf or boule), crusts removed and bread cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 ounces)
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale, stemmed and torn into pieces, or 3 cups baby kale
- One (4-inch) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rind
- 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, small dice
- Two (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Directions:
- Place a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, and when it's hot but not smoking, add the onion, carrot, and celery; stir to coat with oil. Stir in salt to draw out liquid from the onions and season the soup's base.
- Cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle sizzle, until the mixture is very soft and translucent, about 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium; cook, stirring often, until sofrito is caramelized, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper, if using; cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Next, add the tomatoes and wine and stir. Be sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot for maximum flavor. Increase the heat, as needed, to maintain a vigorous simmer (be careful of splattering tomato). Cook, while stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced to a jam-like consistency, about 20 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, bread, kale, and Parmesan rind, stirring well to fully incorporate the sofrito into the liquid. Simmer until kale is tender and bread breaks down a bit, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in potatoes, and simmer until partially tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, puree 1 cup beans with 1 cup cold water. Add bean puree and the remaining beans; simmer until beans and potatoes are completely tender but not falling apart, about 25 minutes. Season with about 1 teaspoon more salt, or to taste, and a generous amount of black pepper. Right before serving, adjust the seasoning to taste as necessary. Divide among bowls, and top each with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley.
