In this column we share the cuisine and recipes of Italy and our Italian American communities. Each month we feature recipes curated from our research and those shared by LGI readers.
Food and cooking are important aspects of our cultural identity and sharing recipes is one way for us to connect to our roots and to one another!
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Diana Lucarino-Diekmann's Zuppa di Ribollita was discovered on a trip to Italy. Since then, it has become a staple in her home kitchen.

Zuppa di Ribollita

dalla cucina di Diana Lucarino-Diekmann

Questa è una ricetta per la ribollita, una zuppa toscana. La cuoca, Diana, racconta di quando è andata in Toscana e ha mangiato in un ristorante chiamato "Ribollita". Descrive il delizioso sapore della zuppa e come ogni ingrediente è stato cucinato alla perfezione. Diana offre la sua ricetta per la zuppa che ha creato dopo questa esperienza.

I discovered this hearty classic Tuscan soup on a cool, rainy, fall day after a long walk with my friend in Siena. Our desire to just sit with a glass of red wine and some soup led us to stop at the first restaurant that we passed after leaving Il Centro. The sign in the window, “RIBOLLITA,” beckoned us to enter even though it was rather lackluster and mainly catered to take-out pizza.
We sat down at a table with old wooden chairs, the table next to us stacked with pizza boxes ready for delivery. I counted 17. We ordered the house red wine, which came out of a bag-in-a-box wine dispenser poured into what looked like water glasses. Surprisingly, the wine was good and began warming us!
Our soup came out with extra crusty bread on the side – a bonus since ribollita has crusty bread in it to soak up the broth and tomatoes, cannellini beans and veggies. Despite our initial trepidation, nothing could have been more satisfying than this simple meal: delicious zuppa di ribollita accompanied by a smooth vino rosso!
Ribollita, literally “reboiled”, is a soup or stew that is meant to use up whatever you have on hand such as leftover beans and vegetables and bits of stale bread to thicken it to make it more filling. Be sure to save your Italian cheese rinds to add a rich flavor to your soups.

Ingredients:

Large chunks of oiled and toasted bread
Olive oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 large Carrot, chopped
1 Celery stick, chopped
Garlic, minced
15 oz. can of Cannellini beans
15 oz. can San Marzano whole tomatoes
4 C. Vegetable broth
Thyme sprigs, fresh or dried
1 tsp. Oregano
Bay leaf
Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
1 small bunch Kale, chopped (thick stems removed)
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Tear the bread into large pieces, drizzle with oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. In a large pot, heat 3 T. oil and add onions, carrots and celery. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until softened, tossing regularly. Lower heat and add garlic. Toss again. Do not let the garlic burn. Add tomatoes and broth. Crush the tomatoes. Add parmesan rind, herbs and seasonings. Add white beans and kale. Cook until kale is tender. Add half of the bread and allow it to soften slightly. Serve with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkling of grated cheese.

Enjoy! Buon appetito!