white bean soup – bFeedme

Ribollita or Tuscan bread soup is an aromatic comfort food which is quite filling enough to be a meal in itself. This hearty soup is perfect for chilly days. Here we used dried cannellini beans, but feel free to use canned ones to reduce the cooking time.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

100ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra

1 onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

150g pancetta, chopped

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

8 cups chicken stock

2 400g cans chopped tomatoes

250g dried cannellini beans, soaked in cold water overnight and drained

2 bay leaves

2 parsley stalks, bruised

Salt and ground pepper to taste

1 loaf day-old ciabatta, roughly torn

Finely grated Parmesan, for serving

Chili flakes, for serving

Lemon zest, for serving

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. SautÃ© the garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes or until it is fragrant and the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery and pancetta. Cook it for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Place the tomatoes, stock, cannellini beans, bay leaves and parsley in the saucepan. Set the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for thirty minutes or until the beans are tender. Remove the parsley stalks and discard. Season it with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the bread into 8 parts and place them in individual bowls. Ladle hot soup into the bowls and drizzle them with olive oil. Top with grated Parmesan, chili flakes and lemon zest before serving. Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of: tuscanycious

Beans take a while to cook, that is why it is common to buy canned ones. Low sodium canned beans are better options especially if you use them often.

I prefer dried beans because they taste good and have better texture. I cook them in a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time in half.

Ingredients:

1 pound dried white cannelliniÂ beans

4 cups sliced yellow onions

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 knob of ginger (5cm)

2 quartsÂ chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in water for at least 6 hours or overnight. Peel the ginger and slice it into thick strips. Set half aside for garnish.

Heat a Dutch oven or a large stock pot over medium flame. SautÃ© the onions in olive oil for 8-10 minutes or until they become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until they are light brown. Pour in the chicken stock. Add the beans and half of the ginger. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or until the beans are very soft. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the ginger and puree the soup in a blender or food processor for 1 minute or until it is smooth.

Reheat it in the pot. Season it with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with the remaining ginger. Serve warm with bread.

Photo Courtesy Of: wonderyort