Ribollita

Instructions

1. Prepare the beans
   If using dried beans, drain the soaked beans, place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour until tender. Drain and set aside. If using canned beans, simply drain, rinse and set aside.
2. Create the soffritto
   Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Add vegetables and herbs
   Add the chopped kale to the pot and stir until it begins to wilt. Then add the canned tomatoes, diced potato, rosemary sprig, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine all ingredients well.
4. Simmer the soup
   Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for about 30 minutes until all vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together.
5. Add the beans and bread
   Add the cooked or canned cannellini beans to the soup and stir. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the torn bread pieces to the soup, stir well, and cook for 5-10 more minutes until the bread has broken down and thickened the soup.
6. Rest and 'reboil'
   Remove from heat, discard the rosemary sprig and bay leaves. Let the soup rest for at least 30 minutes. The traditional method is to let it rest overnight and reheat (or 'reboil' - hence the name 'ribollita') the next day, as the flavors improve over time.
7. Serve
   Reheat the soup if necessary. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and add a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot with additional slices of toasted bread on the side if desired.