Sometimes it's pleasant to eat like a peasant

Ribollita is Tuscan peasant food and literally means ‘reboiled’ referring to the fact that is was usually made from leftovers such as minestrone and stale bread. But like most peasant food this is also comfort food, a hearty, filling potage.

There are many variations of Ribollita but almost all contain leftover bread, cannellini beans, root vegetables and cabbage or kale. I love the sweetness that turnips imbue when cooked in this broth. Stale bread like ciabatta is usually torn and stirred through the soup. I like to make large chunky croutons seasoned generously with black pepper and baked till crunchy with a sprinkling of grated parmesan. Croutons in soup seems so dated and tacky but creating your own crusty, flavoured sourdough cubes is great fun to do at home, not to mention absolutely delicious. It’s a fantastic way of using up any leftover bread.

I keep any leftover single slices or chunks of day-old good quality bread in a bag in the freezer. Just keep adding to it and by the time you need to make stuffing or coat pollock strips in crumbs you’ll be glad you held on to that leftover bread. Ribollita is the perfect dish to make when you reach the end of the week and your vegetable drawer is still full of last weekend’s market haul.

I always buy too many vegetables when I see them piled high at the farmer’s market. Beautiful bunches of carrots with their leafy green tops, perfect turnips, dark chlorophyll-full heads of local cabbage. Kale is a great alternative to cabbage in this soup. Fennel bulb is another great vegetable to use and its sweet anise flavour permeates the warming soup. I used some dark purple heritage carrots for this soup so the water-soluble pigment has tinted the soup slightly and it never fails to amaze my kids.

I’ve used tinned lentils instead of beans or tumble in some small pasta shells.

Sometimes pancetta is added and chorizo, though not traditional, is a delicious addition. I often stir through some harissa paste or fresh pesto to add a burst of freshness and flavour.

Ribollita and parmesan toasts

Serves 6

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

3 sticks celery, finely diced

2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

1 x 400g tin cooked cannellini beans, drained

3 sprigs rosemary

4-6 sage leaves

1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped

800ml stock

500g cabbage or kale, stems removed and shredded

150g day-old sourdough bread

50g parmesan, grated

Salt & Black pepper

METHOD: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the onion, garlic, diced carrot and celery. Lower the heat and place on the lid. Leave to soften for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, beans, herbs and stock. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes before removing the sprigs of rosemary and sage. Then add the shredded cabbage. Place the lid on and leave to simmer for a further ten minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Whilst the soup is cooking prepare the toasts. Tear or cut the bread into cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with plenty of salt and black pepper. Bake at 200C for five minutes then turn and scatter the grated cheese over. Bake for a further 5-8 minutes until the cheese is golden and the toasts crisp.

Divide the warm soup between four shallow bowls and top with a few parmesan toasts before serving.