Ribollita

Serves 8.

Hardware

• Soup pot

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups dried cannellini (white kidney beans; about 8 oz)
• 12 large fresh sage leaves
• 8 garlic cloves; 5 sliced, 3 chopped
• Sea salt
• EVOO
• large onion
• 2 large celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large unpeeled Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered through core, sliced crosswise
• 1 large pinch of dried thyme
• 1 small bunch black kale, cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons (~ 6 cups)
• 1 small bunch green chard, center stem removed, cut into 1-inch ribbons (~6 cups)
• 4 cups thinly sliced Savoy cabbage
• 5 large plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 2-inch square Parmesan cheese rind
• Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
• 2 cups light vegetable broth
• 6 half-inch slices of bread, torn

Procedure

1. Cook the beans, sage, and sliced garlic in 8 cups of water. Add 1 tsp of salt 10 minutes before they're done. Let the beans cool in their cooking liquid.
2. Saute onion until translucent in 3 tbsp oil in a soup pot. Add chopped garlic, celery, carrot, potato, fennel, and thyme.
3. Add kale, chard, cabbage, tomatoes, Parmesan rind, 5 cups water, and 1 tsp sea salt. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer about 1 1/2 hours, until the vegetables are very tender.
5. Add beans, their cooking liquid, crushed red pepper, and 2 cups broth. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Before serving, add bread pieces and simmer. Add more broth to thin. Adjust seasonings.
7. Serve drizzled with olive oil.