Crispy Ribollita Food

RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator.
• Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the cabbage, if using, the kale, and basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.
• Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
• Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.

SLOW-COOKER RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Combine the carrots, celery, cabbage, pancetta, beans, tomato paste, parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 7 cups water in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low, 7 to 8 hours. Leave 1 slice of bread at room temperature to dry out slightly.
• Before serving, add the stale bread to the slow cooker. Cover and continue to cook, about 10 minutes. Stir the soup well, then add the grated parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the remaining 4 bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Broil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place a slice in each bowl.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir the garlic and oil into the soup. Ladle the soup over the bread in the bowls.

VEGETARIAN RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• In a soup pot or Dutch oven heat the 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, zucchini, carrots, garlic, and rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft and juicy, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, basil, and marjoram and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until cabbage is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and vegetable broth, and adjust the heat to simmer gently for 20 minutes.
• Remove the rosemary sprig. Stir in the bread and spinach, increase the heat to medium and cook until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into warm bowls. Top with cheese and a little drizzle extra-virgin olive oil.

RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Pre-heat the broiler.
• Place bread slices on broiler pan or cookie sheet, broil until golden, turning once, about 2 the 3 minutes. Remove bread and rub each slice with garlic. Mince remaining garlic for the soup. Sprinkle each slice of bread with Parmesan, place back under broiler until cheese is bubbly and golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
• To prepare the soup, heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and remaining minced garlic. Cover and cook until carrots are almost tender, about 7 minutes more. Add zucchini, red pepper, and rosemary. Stir and cook until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes more. Add the escarole, beans, tomatoes, and stock. Cook until escarole is just wilted, about five minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Place 1 slice of cheese bread in the bottom of each soup bowl and cover with soup. Serve immediately.

CRISPY RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Pour the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and allow it to heat up just a bit. Add the butternut squash, carrots, celery and onions and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Saute until they develop some color and cook down a bit, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans, tomatoes, Parmigiano rind and 3 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the Parmigiano rind. Add the cabbage and kale and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Check the soup for seasoning and adjust to taste. Add the bread and press it into the broth to absorb. Simmer for 5 more minutes. If the bread still seems dry, add the remaining cup stock (it should have the look of bread pudding).
• Cool the ribollita to room temperature before placing it in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Add 2 tablespoons light oil to the bottom of a 10-inch nonstick skillet and preheat it over medium-high heat until hot. Using two spoons, spoon 1 1/2 to 2 cups ribollita into the skillet to cover the bottom. Flatten it a bit and let it cook until both sides are deeply golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. (Don't worry if the ribollita breaks as you are flipping it with your spatula; just continue to cook until browned on both sides.) Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining ribollita in the same manner.
• For serving: Add the crispy ribollita to a platter. Top with the burrata, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper. Cut into wedges and serve the prosciutto alongside.

RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drizzle the ciabatta halves with olive oil. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the top of the toasts with the whole garlic clove. Place the toasts in the serving bowls and ladle the soup over the toasts. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

TUSCAN-STYLE RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat and fry the onion, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt for 15 mins until soft. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 min.
• Stir in the rosemary sprig, tomatoes, stock, beans and parmesan rind, if using, and bring to a simmer. Add the cavolo and cook, covered, for 10 mins. Stir through the bread and cook for several minutes more to warm through, then add the vinegar and season. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with a little more oil and sprinkle with the basil, if using, and the grated cheese.