Ribollita

Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 1 leek, halved down the middle and finely sliced
• 1x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 small head Savoy cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 bunch kale, finely chopped
• 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock (you may need more)
• a chunk  Parmesan rind, if available
• Red chilli (optional)
• 2-3 slices stale bread, cut into 2.5cm cubes
• salt and black pepper
• 1 x 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• A handful of baby spinach leaves
• Parmesan, grated, to serve
• Chopped chives, to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 6-8 minutes until soft and translucent.
2. Add the carrot, celery and leek, and fry for 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, and are just beginning to colour. Then add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, cabbage and kale. Season with salt and black pepper and stir well.
4. Pour in the stock – you need to just cover the vegetable so be aware you may need to top up with extra stock, add the parmesan rind and chilli, if using, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is tender. Fish out the parmesan rind.
5. Add the bread cubes, beans and spinach to the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes. The idea is that the bread dissolves and thickens the soup. If it’s stale sourdough, it will probably not disappear, and you will have a thinner soup with delicious lumps of well-dunked bread.
6. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan and chives if using.