RIBOLLITA DI LUANA

Ribollita di Luana image

Provided by Maggie Barrett

Time 2h

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 20

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/3 -inch-thick slices
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/3 -inch-thick rounds
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3 -inch-thick slices
2 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3 -inch-thick slices
1/2 fennel bulb, cut into 1/2 -inch-thick pieces
1/4 savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, drained and divided into pieces
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
1 bunch spinach (about 6 cups), rinsed and roughly chopped
Red-pepper flakes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese, grated
Crusty bread, optional

Steps:

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When hot, stir in the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, zucchini, squash, fennel and cabbage. Season with salt. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans, tomatoes, herbs and 2 cups water. Season with more salt, then gently fold together until combined. Press on the solids so they are submerged in the water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Stir gently only once or twice.
Fold in the spinach and simmer 30 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in more salt and red-pepper flakes to taste.
Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls. Drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. If you choose, serve with bread.