Ribollita - Test 1

http://latavolamarche.blogspot.ca/2011/05/summer-soup-ribollita.html

1 - It worked well. I made changes on the fly, but it all seems to work. Something I quite like is to cook down the tomato until it discorporates into the broth.

2 - I increased the amount of beans by a half cup. I tried using ground chia seeds instead of bread for a gluten-free version but, at least, I didn't add enough because there was no real change in the consistency of the broth.

1 cup of dry beans of your choice, soaked over night, drained or fresh

1 bay leaf

2 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbsps olive oil

2 carrots, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced or a small pinch of celery seed
1 onion, diced

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 tomatoes, chopped

couple cloves of garlic

a good pinch of chilli flakes

5-7 cups of chicken stock
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup of peas (if available); small bunch of asparagus (if available)
1 bunch greens of your choice, washed well & chopped into manageable pieces (kale, chard, etc)
2 handfuls of the inside (guts) of stale bread, broken into pieces, crust removed (NOTE tried to substitute with 6 tsps of ground chia seeds with no real noticeable impact)
good extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan, shaved

1. In a pot, add beans, bay leaf, and vegetable stock.
2. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer for 30-40 minutes until tender (time varies depending on your beans).  Strain beans, saving the cooking water for later.  
3. Next in a soup pot, heat the olive oil and add carrots, celery, onion. Slowly sautéed for 10-15 minutes.
4. Season with salt & pepper.
5. Add the tomatoes, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the tomato sauces or falls apart.  Add stock with some of the bean water. Bring up to a simmer. Add greens to your pot, wilting into the soup. Cook for 5-10 minutes, depending the toughness of your greens.
6. Once greens are soft, add in your beans & bread, one handful at a time.
7. Season with salt & pepper. Bread should dissolve, creating a velvety texture. Not a thick bread soup. Allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes. Taste check & adjust your seasonings.
8. TO SERVE: Serve with a healthy drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil you have and a ribbon of parmesan.