This is such a flavorful soup! Love it! Two tricks involved: use dried beans, the ones that need to be soaked overnight, and also use a nice dose of vegetable broth or a combination of chicken and vegetable broth if you like to have chicken broth (canned beans? Who's kidding, they'll do in a pinch)!
This soup is very similar to ribollita soup. I have left the bread out because I try not to eat too much bread these days. It's just as good without it. In fact, it's so good that I can eat it cold, or I can even eat it for breakfast! Okay ... as the trend goes, this is the part of the blog where I regale you with some cute personal incidents from my adventurous life. Stillness ... Can't think of any. Some other time perhaps. Not disappointed, I know you are not disappointed!
Ingredients:
1 pound dried cannellini beans
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1 shallot sliced
1 (15-ounce/500 gram) can whole tomatoes
1 leek, cleaned well and chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
½ bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
1 bunch kale, chopped
¼ Savoy cabbage, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
the leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups vegetable broth
6 cups water
For topping:
grated Pecorino cheese
extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Soak the beans overnight.
In a large heavy pot heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the sliced onions and shallots until they have caramelised. While sautéing, season the onions with some of the oregano.
Mash the tomatoes and add them to the pot. Add the juice the tomatoes were packed in, and also add two cups of the water.
One by one add all the vegetables, stirring to mix after each addition.
Add the herbs and the rest of the olive oil.
Allow the mixture to cook for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, puree nearly half of the beans and add them to the vegetables.
Add the rest of the beans.
Add the broth and the remaining water. Mix well and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to a slow simmer and cover the pot. Allow the beans to cook for two hours, stirring occasionally.
Ladle into bowls and top with the grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for about 3 days or in the freezer for one to two months.
