The typical Tuscan soup is quite rustic, but not too much so. The dish is a gift from my grandmother and the spoon as well was taken from her kitchen, to present the Ribollita!
Only vegetables, excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oil and at most a sprinkling of pecorino (Tuscan too) before serving it very warm indeed, almost boiling.…
Tuscan Ribollita
Serves: 4
100 gr of Swiss chard (the white middle part only)
1 carrot
1/2 red onion
1 celery
60 gr of leek
100 gr organic peeled small tomatoes
230 gr boiled* Borlotti (or Cannellini) beans
1 potato
1 chili pepper
thyme
rosemary
extra virgin biodynamic olive oil La Maliosa
vegetable stock (or warm water)
8 slices of stale bread
salt
To serve
Grated Tuscan Pecorino (optional)
Directions
Peel the carrot and the potato. Wash all vegetables. With a knife, chop leek, carrot and red onion. In a large pan saute them with two tablespoons of oil and the chili pepper. Combine the tomatoes and cook on low flame for ten minutes adding vegetable stock if needed. Join the thyme and rosemary and add the Swiss chard and the potato previously cut into pieces. Combine with the remaining stock and bring to boil. Blend 1/3 of the vegetables and 2/3 of the beans with an immersion blender (or a food mill). Put the soup back on the stove and cook for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Let the soup rest for ten minutes. Place two slices of bread at the bottom of each of four soup plates. Cover with the vegetables, add a dash of extra virgin olive oil (and if liked a sprinkling of pecorino) and serve immediately.
*If you boil the beans yourself, set aside the cooking water which can be used instead of the vegetable stock to cook the Ribollita.
