Ribollita

Method

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1. Simmer the soaked beans with the sage and whole garlic in unsalted water for 60 minutes until tender. Salt them only at the end, and keep all the cooking liquid.

   Mark done Start 60 min timer

2. Blend a third of the beans with a ladle of their liquid until smooth. Leave the rest whole.

   Mark done

3. Heat the olive oil in a very large pot and cook the onion, carrot and celery over low heat for 20 minutes, until completely soft and sweet. This soffritto is the whole base.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

4. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes for 1 minute, then the tomato purée for 2 minutes.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

5. Add the tinned tomatoes and cook 10 minutes.

   Mark done

6. Add the cavolo nero, cabbage, potatoes, rosemary, the whole beans, the bean purée and about 1.2 litres of the bean cooking liquid.

   Mark done

7. Simmer, half covered, for 45 minutes, until the greens have collapsed and the soup has darkened. Season.

   Mark done Start 45 min timer

8. Stir in the torn bread, take the pot off the heat, and leave it to stand at room temperature for at least an hour — ideally overnight in a cool place.

   Mark done

9. The next day, reheat slowly, stirring, until the bread has completely disappeared into the soup and it is thick enough for a spoon to stand up in.

   Mark done

10. Serve in warm bowls with a heavy pour of raw olive oil over each.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Make it a day ahead. Reboiled is the recipe, not a suggestion.
• Twenty minutes on the soffritto. Everything else depends on it.
• Finish with far more raw olive oil than seems polite.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A Tuscan red such as Chianti
• More olive oil
• Grated Parmesan, if not keeping it vegan

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days, improving daily, and freeze 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.