Ribollita (tuscan Minestrone)

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 leek, part only,chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 carrots, sliced into half inch rounds
• 4 zucchini, sliced into half inch rounds
• 1/4 whole savoy cabbage, shredded and chopped
• 2 cups kale, shredded
• 2 cups spinach, shredded
• 4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into one half inch cubes
• 1 cup green beans, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 cups cooked cannellini beans, 1 cup pureed,the other left whole
• 5 cups broth, of your choice,plus
• more broth, to thin soup
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 lb stale italian bread, sliced and cut into 1 inch cubes
• grated parmesan cheese
• extra virgin olive oil

Recipe

• 1 heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and leek together over low heat until they begin to caramelize; add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute; add all the remaining vegetables; season to taste and stir to mix; cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables have reduced in volume by half; stir again and add broth; bring to a boil and then lower the heat; add the tomato paste and stir to dissolve; cover and cook the soup for 1 hour; add the beans.
• 2 the next day, reheat soup gently and stir in the bread cubes until the bread has turned into a mush (this takes about 10-15 minutes); if the soup is too thick, thin with more stock to suit your taste.
• 3 serve at table with freshly-cracked black pepper, grated parmesan cheese, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.