Tuscan Ribollita

Introduction

Tuscan Ribollita, a comforting and traditional Tuscan soup, weaves together staple ingredients in an embrace of flavors. Originating from the rustic kitchens of Italy, this dish embodies warmth and simplicity.

Tips for this Recipe

• For authenticity, prepare your vegetables fresh but keep some components prepped to save time.
• Use a Dutch Oven for slow-cooking the soup and enhancing its flavors.
• Keep it rustic: Embracing chunky vegetables offers a nod to the recipe’s authentic roots.
• Slow and steady cooking: A Dutch Oven is your best ally for simmering this hearty soup to perfection.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Tuscan Ribollita beckons with its robust flavors and wholesome ingredients. A labor of love, it’s a dish that promises comfort with each spoonful. Its rich texture and depth are hallmarks of time-honored recipes.

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 ounces pancetta or ham, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
3 15-ounce cans cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
Grated parmesan

Advised Equipment

Dutch Oven – Ideal for slow cooking soups like Ribollita, providing even heat distribution and depth of flavor.
Cutting Board – Essential for preparing vegetables and other ingredients cleanly and safely.
Chef’s Knife – A versatile tool for chopping vegetables to the desired size, an important step in soup-making.
Garlic Press or Mincer – Useful for quickly mincing garlic without peeling each clove individually.
Potato Masher – Optional but helpful for mashing potatoes as part of the Ribollita recipe if you prefer a smoother texture in your soup base.
Large Cooking Spoon or Ladle – Essential for stirring and serving the soup evenly throughout its cooking process.
Blender – Useful for pureeing some ingredients to achieve a desired consistency, although traditional Tuscan Ribollita is typically served with chunks of vegetables intact.
Mixing Bowls (3-4) – For mixing and marinating ingredients before cooking.
Stainless Steel Pots or Dutch Ovens (2) – One for preparing the soup and another as a backup or to prepare other components simultaneously without cross-contamination.
Measuring Cups & Spoons – Accurate measurements can be crucial in achieving the right balance of ingredients, especially when dealing with liquids like broths.
Vegetable Peeler or Paring Knife – Necessary for peeling vegetables and removing any imperfections from potatoes before cooking.

History of the Recipe

Ribollita’s history is steeped in Tuscan tradition, often associated with poverty-stricken times when people ingeniously repurposed stale bread and leftovers into nourishing meals. Its evolution reflects a testament to resourcefulness within the region’s culinary landscape.

Fun Facts about this Recipe

Did you know? Ribollita translates to “reboiled” in Italian, which refers to its ancestral method of reheating old bread and vegetables into a new dish. This ingenuity symbolizes the recipe’s enduring relevance over centuries.