Entertaining and having friends and family over for dinner has always been my true passion. I am from Tuscany, a region of Italy rich in tradition and famous for delicious foods–I think of them often now that I live in the US. The soup that my aunt used to make in her little country village near the city of Pisa is one of my favorite family recipes.
The soup recipe is not strictly defined. As a matter of fact, as often happens with Italian recipes, the dish often changes based on the season, using whichever fresh vegetables are readily available. The two basic ingredients are cabbage and hard, stale bread. Feel free to add any vegetables you especially like.
Here are some suggestions:
Kale (black cabbage)
Savoy cabbage
Onions
Canned tomatoes
White beans
Carrots
Celery (very little, usually not more than a stalk)
Parmesan cheese rind (the edible rind becomes soft in the soup and adds great flavor)
Olive oil
Pepper
Salt
Water or broth
Start sauteeing the chopped onions, carrots and celery for a few minutes in olive oil. Add the leafy part of the kale (discard the stalk) and cook for 10 minutes. Add the savoy cabbage, the zucchini, the white beans, the Parmesan cheese rind in pieces, the canned tomatoes and cover with hot water or broth. Let cook slowly for at least two hours.
Cut the stale bread in thin slices and cover with a single layer of bread slices the bottom of a deep earthen pot. Pour the soup over the bread and cover with another layer of bred slices. Alternate soup and bread untill the whole soup has been used.
Let the soup rest and serve when it is luke warm with a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.
The Tuscan name for the soup is ribollita (it literally means “cooked twice”). As a matter of fact the following day you can successfully heat the soup and serve it. You will be amazed by how the flavors have mixed and gained complexity.
The natural accompanyment to this soup is a red wine that is not too old. I love Chianti of course but a good Californian Cabernet Sauvignon is also a perfect choice.
Ribollita is a staple in the countryside in Tuscany and very cheap to prepare. The dish originated as a farmer’s food, but now it is served in the best known restaurant all over the country. It is surprising to realize how well it sits on elegant tables, combining a formal setting and a casual Tuscan comfort food.
entertaining, Italian regional recipes, Recipes, ribollita, soup Tuscan soup
Technorati Tags: entertaining, Italian regional recipes, Recipes, ribollita, soup, Tuscan soup
Just came back from 3 weeks in Italy . My wife was familiar with(knew) what ribolitta was and ordered it several times. Each time different , each time very good. We were in Montacino and bought a dried package - like we find bean soup in the states. It had little pasta in it and really was not very good. But it was fun to try inour apartment in Lucignano. We will try the recipe and appreciate finding it on your site.
Grazie