It’s time for another installation of our our Global Kitchen series with our friends at KitchenAid and this time we’re all about the classic Tuscan recipe, Ribolitta. Literally translated as “reboiled,” this vegetable and bread soup is one of those simple genius recipes that is so classically Tuscan.
The dish originated as a modest meal — like Pappa al Pomodoro it’s came about as a way to use up leftover ingredients and stale bread — but it makes for one of the best vegetable soups you’ll ever have.
This soup is a recipe I’d make during the colder months when I lived in Florence. I lived near the river and though it was super beautiful it meant that it got seriously damp and cold during the winter, especially in my apartment a centuries-old palazzo. I’d start the ribollita in the morning and have it slow cook while I’d write and by the end of the day, it’d be perfectly simmered and ready to go.
But really the reason I’m so into it is that it’s one of those rare comforting, stick-to-the-rib dishes that’s actually healthy (well, okay, it does have a ton of carbs but who’s counting)! There are more variations on this dish than towns in Italy but the essentials are cannelini beans, cabbage, and bread. From there, you can tweak it and personalize away, adding in pancetta for some smokiness, a rind of parmesan for some richness, or blending up all the beans for a thicker stew. Point is, do with it what you want because it’ll still be delicious.
This version is made in a slow cooker, which means this no-fuss recipe becomes even less of a fuss. But enough from me, here’s my Ribollita recipe.
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