Ribollita

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 14 ounces chopped tomatoes
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
• 2 large courgettes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
• 3 3/4 cups vegetable stock
• 14 ounces kidney beans, drained
• salt & pepper
• 1 lb baby spinach
• 6 -8 slices bread
• parmesan cheese, shavings

Recipe

• 1 heat the oil in a large saucepan. add the onions, carrots, garlic, celery and fennel and fry gently for 10 minutes. add the courgettes and fry for a further 2 minutes.
• 2 add the chopped tomatoes, pesto, stock and beans and bring to a boil. reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are completely tender. season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 3 to serve, fry the spinach in the oil for 2 minutes or until wilted. spoon over the bread in soup bowls, then ladle the soup over the spinach. serve with extra olive oil for drizzling on to the soup and parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.
• 4 variation -- use other dark greens, such as chard or cabbage instead of spinach; shred and cook till tender.