Ribollita

Name: Ribollita
Yield: Serves 10
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 kg (4.½ lb) cavolo nero, stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped; 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 4 tablespoons olive oil; 4 medium red onions, peeled and chopped; 1 × 800 g (1.¾ lb) tin peeled plum tomatoes, drained of their juices; 2 loaves stale ciabatta bread, crusts removed, sliced or torn; 2 whole heads celery, chopped; 450 g (1 lb) carrots, peeled and chopped; 250 g (9 oz) cannellini or borlotti beans, cooked; 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; extra virgin olive oil

Preparation info

Serves
10

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The River Café Cookbook

By Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers

Published 1995

About

Cavolo nero is essential for an authentic ribollita. Robust greens such as Swiss chard, the dark green outer leaves of Savoy cabbage, kale, broccoli or rape may be substituted.

Ingredients

250 g (9 oz) cannellini or borlotti beans, cooked
1

Europe
Italy
Starter
Soup
Vegetarian
Mediterranean

Method

In a large saucepan fry the parsley leaves, garlic, celery, carrot and onion in the oil for about 30 minutes until the flavours combine. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook on a gentle heat for a further 30 minutes, then add the cavolo nero and half the cannellini beans with enough of their liquid to cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.

In a food processor, purée the remaining beans and retu