Ribolita

I enjoy all types of soup: creamy purees, thick lentil soups, chunky vegetable soups, clear consommé, refreshing cold soups and so on. But when early spring weather turns cold, this is the soup I like to prepare: the famous Tuscan ribolita.

It is a thick, stick-to-your-ribs soup filled with healthy vegetables, beans and potatoes. It is excellent when first prepared, but like the name suggests (ribolita means to re-boil), the soup improves in flavor when it is reheated…and that makes this soup perfect for keeping around a couple of days!

Most ribolita soup recipes are different from the original preparation – they lack in vegetable varieties and amounts or use too much tomato puree and cheese. My version is close to the DOC designated recipe, which was officially declared on the 24th of May, 2011 at the Florence Academy of Italian Cuisine. The designation followed a long research period with some of the finest restaurants in Florence participating. The results of the research implied most restaurants in Tuscany do not serve the real version, only impostors.

Making a good ribolita takes a bit of time to put together, but hey, it’s cold outside remember, so you may as well hang out in the kitchen. Some items, like the beans, can be prepared ahead of time to save a bit of time in your preparation. Use the best possible ingredients to make this soup, and don’t worry if it appears too thick – you can always adjust the consistency later by adding more broth or water.

Yield: makes about 3 liters (3 quarts)