ITALIAN SHŌJIN SERIES: TUSCAN STYLE MINESTRONE
INGREDIENTS:
For the Beans
To Make the Soup
To Serve
INSTRUCTIONS:
- SOAKING THE BEANS. Combine the beans and water in a large bowl. You want 1-2" of water covering the beans so that they remain fully submerged even as they rehydrate and absorb the water. Cover the pot and set aside for a minimum of twelve hours. If time is short, you can quick-soak by boiling them for 2-3 minutes, turning off the heat, covering, and soaking for 1 hour.
- COOKING THE BEANS. In a deep pot, heat the Olive Oil (30 grams). Add the smashed Garlic and Sage, cooking for 1-2 minutes to infuse the oil. Pour the soaked beans along with the soaking liquid into the pot. Bring the beans to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and skim any foam that rises to the surface. Cover the beans with a cartouche (paper lid) and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are creamy and tender. Remove half of the cooked beans from the bean pot, making sure to reserve the cooking liquid. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to make a coarse purée with the removed beans and remaining cooking liquid. This helps achieve a creamy texture without dairy.
- MAKING THE SOUP. In a separate pot, heat 30 grams of Olive Oil. Add the diced Onion, Carrot, and Celery. Cook the vegetables for 5-7 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking, until they soften. Season to taste as you cook. Once the vegetables are tender, stir in the chopped Napa Cabbage and cook until wilted. Stir in the Tomato Paste (or fresh/canned tomatoes) and cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the reserved whole beans and the purée back to the vegetable pot and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped sage leaves (see video), honoring the Ichibutsu Zentai principle of using everything. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook for 1 hour longer to allow the flavors to come together.
- HOW TO SERVE. Tear the day-old bread into bite-sized pieces. In a soup bowl, add half of the torn bread, then ladle a serving of the hot soup on top. Repeat with a second layer of bread and soup. Finish the soup with a generous drizzle of high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Note
STORAGE. The soup will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Ribollita is even better when you cool it down and reheat it the next day after the flavors have come together.
SUBSTITUTIONS. The soup is all about eliminating waste - leftover food, money, and time. It was born from necessity, and the resourcefulness of the Tuscan cooks that have prepared it for ages. There are "classic" recipes, but don't let that distract you. Think of La Ribollita as a process, not a dish. You almost can't go wrong with any additions, so use what you have on hand.