The perfect antidote to Sunday night miserable weather, this Tuscan soup is a winner. Traditionally a leftovers soup – Ribollita meaning “reboiled” – using minestrone and stale bread, but to us this is just as good as real meal.

Thanks to my housie for suggesting it…we are going to be eating well this week! This recipe is adapted from River Cafe Cookbook. Should get 6 servings out of it.

2 red onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 sticks celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped incl stalks
3 cups cooked cannellini and/or berlotti beans
2 stalks kale, leaves seperated, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 250g tin organic tomatoes
2 cups veg stock, heated
3 stale ciabatta rolls, hand torn into chunks (can use loaf equivalent)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Pancetta finely sliced and pan fried to crisp – for serving (omit if vegetarian)

In a good slurp of olive oil, sauté onions, celery, carrot and parsley with 1/2 tsp salt and a good grinding of fresh black pepper for 30 mins until flavours well blended. Add garlic halfway through.

Add kale, tomatoes and their juice and enough veg stock to cover. Add another 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer gently for 30 mins.

Meanwhile divide beans into 2 portions, set 1 portion to the side and purée the 2nd portion.

Once veg cooked, add whole and puréed beans and torn bread and a good slurp of olive oil. Add more stock if necessary, however you want a nice thick soup. Check for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Simmer for 3 minutes and serve with Pancetta on top.