Ribollita – Italian Bread Soup

This soup is delicious despite its funky appearance. Made this when there wasn’t much left in the pantry and fridge except these ingredients. My version might vary slightly from the traditional Italian one but it’s still good and comforting on a cold night. The bread soak up some of the broth and turns almost meaty. In fact, my husband thought there was meat in the soup, so this might please vegetarians as well as carnivores.

Serves 4

8 cups of chicken stock (or water if necessary)

1 head of kale, rinsed and chopped

1 14 ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

Half an onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes or use fresh tomatoes if you have them

2-3 thick slices of country loaf bread, diced into large pieces

2 dried bay leaves

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the chopped onions and carrots and let sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft. Add the kale and garlic and stir until the kale shrinks down a bit in size (it wilts like spinach when cooked). Add the stock or water, tomatoes, beans and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and let simmer for half an hour. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary, especially if you used water instead of chicken stock. Once the soup has acquired the right flavors, add the bread and simmer slowly for another five minutes until the bread is soft. Serve right away.

If you have to refrigerate the soup, the bread will soak up the broth and you’ll end up with a stew instead. Still tasty but just keep that in mind.