Phil Vickery’s Tuscan Bean Soup
If there’s one staple of Tuscan cuisine, it’s bread. It’s eaten with practically every meal and it’s not just a side, it’s a central part of the dish. Phil has the perfect example of Tuscan cooking, with his Tuscan Bread Soup. Full of warming flavours and delicious bread morsels, it’s just what we need in this dreary weather. Plus Phil's got a tasty little trick to use up any of the leftover soup.
Phil Vickery’s Tuscan Bean Soup (Ribollita)Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained2 tbsp olive oil2 onions, finely choppedPinch chilli flakes4 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 tbsp tomato paste4 small ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped4 sticks celery, finely chopped1 medium leek washed well and finely chopped1 vegetable stock cube2 tsp fresh thyme, picked3 sprigs rosemary (leave whole and remove once cooked)1 small Savoy cabbage finely shredded200g Cavolo Nero, finely shredded (optional)Ground pepperCiabatta bread, cut into long slicesExtra virgin olive oil, good quality2 fresh garlic cloves, peeled
Method
1. Place one can of beans into a food processor and blitz till you have a nice puree
2. Heat the olive oil and cook the onions, chilli and garlic for 3-4 minutes to soften
3. Next add tomato paste and fresh tomatoes mix well and break down a little
4. Next add the carrots, celery, leek, thyme, rosemary, pureed beans and enough water to cover by say 2cm
5. Bring to the boil, add the stock cube and then simmer for 10 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked, then add the cabbage, Cavolo Nero (if using) and another can of beans, then for 10 minutes to just cook the cabbage. The soup should be packed with vegetables and beans, the wooden spoon should almost stand up alone!!
6. Season with pepper and remove rosemary stalks
7. To serve, serve in deep bowls, and a little crisp bread, rubbed with a little fresh garlic (I also add a dash of good quality extra virgin oil to the top of the soup when serving.)