Super Bowl
Hearty ribollita is vegetarian love, Italian-style
When I was growing up, ribollita was always in my Dad’s regular winter soup rotation. And when you dig into this incredibly hearty and entirely vegetarian soup, with its nutty, cheesy notes and wonderful, texture-laden greens, it’s easy to see why.
The dish’s roots are Tuscan and undeniably peasant. The inclusion of dayold bread not only drives that home, but morphs the dish’s most comforting bites into something approaching a Italianstyle veggie-and-dumplings in which hunks of crusty goodness soften into silky carb comfort that’s steeped in rich, tomato-y broth. It also ticks the “complete protein” box alongside cannellini beans.
The classic version is vegetarian, and also makes solid use of the rind on a hunk of Parmesan. (Side note: If you’re throwing out your cheese rinds, stop right now. Much like your old bread, these can be frozen and employed elsewhere, like in soups and risottos).
Simple Ribollita INGREDIENTS
1 large onion
3 medium carrots
2 celery stalks
8 garlic cloves
2 bunches Tuscan kale (I used the standard stuff, several handfuls for each round of wilting.)
1 small wedge of Parmesan with rind 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
1 14-oz. can cannellini beans ½ loaf crusty country bread (about 10 oz.)
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. You are going to make a mirepoix, which is just a fancy French word for the combo of chopped onions, carrots, and celery that form the flavor base for a lot of European dishes. Cut 1 large onion in half through root. Peel and discard skins. Finely chop and transfer to a medium bowl. Peel and chop carrots into ½-inch pieces and add to bowl.
Chop 2 celery stalks crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Add to bowl with the rest of the mirepoix.
Smash and peel 8 garlic cloves with the back of your knife. Add to bowl.
Strip stems from 2 bunches Tuscan kale and discard. Wash if they’re gritty or you really care about washing vegetables, then tear leaves into 2-inch pieces; set aside.
Cut rind off of 1 small Parmesan wedge; set aside. Place 28 oz. canned tomatoes and their juices in a strainer set inside a medium bowl. (You need that bowl to collect the juice, which you’re going to use later.) Squeeze tomatoes and crush them with your hands while leaving them submerged in their liquid so they don’t squirt. Tear ½ loaf crusty country bread into 1½-inch pieces. Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium. Add bowl of mirepoix and 2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 8—10 minutes.
Lift strainer full of tomatoes and give it a few shakes to remove any liquid. Add tomatoes (but not juices!) and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the rawness is cooked off, about 10 minutes. Giving those tomato solids a chance to caramelize before adding the liquid back in helps to add a lot of flavor to the stew. (Remember: Reserve the juices, you’re going to use them!) While tomatoes are cooking, drain and rinse 14 oz. canned cannellini beans in the strainer you just used, then add to pot along with Parmesan rind, tomato juices, ¾ tsp. red pepper flakes, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer.
Add kale in two additions, stirring often and allowing to wilt in between.
Add about one-third of torn bread (no need to measure, just eyeball it) and cook, stirring occasionally, until coated and warmed through, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Remove from heat. Place remaining torn bread chunks on top of stew. Drizzle generously with olive oil.
Transfer pot to oven and bake stew until thick, bubbling, and bread is golden brown on top, 10—15 minutes.
Ladle stew into bowls, drizzle each generously with olive oil, and grate lots of Parmesan over. Makes 4—6 servings