Name: Tuscan bean soup (ribollita)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 145 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon olive oil; 3 medium (450g) onions, chopped coarsely; 2 clove garlic, crushed; 200 gram piece italian bacon (speck) or pancetta, chopped; 2 medium (240g) carrots, chopped coarsely; 2 sticks (300g) celery, trimmed, chopped; 2 400g cans tomatoes; 1/4 medium (500g) savoy cabbage, shredded; 1 medium (120g) zucchini, chopped coarsely; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 cup (500ml) beef consomme or stock; 2 litre (8 cups) water; 400 gram can borlotti beans, rinsed, drained; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 6 thick slices ciabatta (italian bread); extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Tuscan bean soup (ribollita)

This Italian staple is brimming with fresh vegies and mouthwatering bacon. Dip thick slices of ciabatta into the thick broth for a warm, healthy meal.

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Serves 8

Prep

20M

Cook

2H 25M

Total

2H 45M

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium (450g) onions, chopped coarsely

2 clove garlic, crushed

200 gram piece italian bacon (speck) or pancetta, chopped

2 medium (240g) carrots, chopped coarsely

2 sticks (300g) celery, trimmed, chopped

2 400g cans tomatoes

1/4 medium (500g) savoy cabbage, shredded

1 medium (120g) zucchini, chopped coarsely

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cup (500ml) beef consomme or stock

2 litre (8 cups) water

400 gram can borlotti beans, rinsed, drained

salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 thick slices ciabatta (italian bread)

extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Method

1.Heat oil in a large saucepan or stock pot. Add the onion, garlic and bacon or pancetta. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until onion is soft.

2.Add carrots, celery, undrained crushed tomatoes, cabbage, zucchini, thyme, consomme or stock and water. Bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.

3.Add beans and simmer, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4.Meanwhile, toast or grill bread. Place a slice of bread in the base of six serving bowls; top with soup and drizzle with extra olive oil.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Ribollita, meaning “re-boiled”, is from Tuscany, Italy. It gains its name from the fact that it tastes better when reheated the day after it is made.
Note

Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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