Tuscan Bread Soup

Recipes: Two hearty Tuscan dishes that let beans and potatoes shine

You can make both dishes using pantry staples.

By Christopher Kimball Globe Correspondent,Updated September 23, 2020, 11:11 a.m.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/23/magazine/recipes-two-hearty-tuscan-dishes-that-let-beans-potatoes-shine/

Tuscany’s tradition of cucina povera (peasant cooking) was inspired by frugal cooks who maximized the flavor of a few ingredients to create dishes that were more than the sum of their parts. For our ribollita, a bread soup, we add chopped chard stems and toasted croutons for texture, while fragrant fennel heightens the flavor. And, we cook potatoes like rice for a richer, creamier braised potato — patate in umido — all done on the stove-top.

Tuscan Soup With Bread, Beans, and Greens (Ribollita)

Makes 4 servings

In Italian, ribollita means “reboiled,” a reference to this dish’s origins as peasant food — leftover bread, beans, and inexpensive vegetables were thrown into a pot and simmered to make a hearty soup. For our version, we cut the bread into cubes, toast it in olive oil, and use it as a garnish so that it better retains its texture. We like red Swiss chard for the color it adds, but any variety works well. Great Northern beans hold their shape nicely, but you could use cannellini beans instead. If you like, serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Use the chard stems — chop and cook them with the onion and bell pepper for added texture and flavor.

• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra to serve
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 5 ounces rustic bread, such as ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 bunch red Swiss chard, stems removed and sliced ¼-inch thick, leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces and reserved separately
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1½ quarts low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 15½-ounce cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

• Croutons:

• In a medium bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the oil, the paprika, and ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the bread and toss to coat. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, then add the bread and cook, stirring, until crisp and brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

• Soup 
• Onion, Pepper, Chard Stems:
• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and heat until shimmering. 
• Add the onion, bell pepper, and chard stems. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. 
• Garlic/Fennel
• Stir in the garlic and fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Chard leaves
• Add the chard leaves and cook, stirring, until beginning to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. 
• Add the broth and bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium heat. 
• Beans
• Stir in the beans, then cover and cook until the chard leaves are tender, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Final Seasoning
• Off the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with the croutons.