A Passion for Peasant Food!

The Romance continues......

Five years ago we had the pleasure of spending the month of July under the Tuscan Sun.
For 31 wonderful days, we got to live like locals rather than tourists. It was the start of a love affair for this land of enchantment and its people. Life in Tuscany centers around family, friends and food. It does not get any better than that!

Tuscany is one of the most fertile regions of Italy. The landscape is a rich tapestry of rolling hills of vineyards, olive groves, wheat fields, patures for livestock and gardens of vegetables. Tuscan Cuisine is noted for its delicious peasant-based recipes which celebrate the best of nature's offerings.

It was during this visit five years ago that we first discovered one of Tuscany most famous recipes: Ribollita. It was on the menu of the trattoria, Il Focolare, in nearby Montagnana. It is called a soup but really it is a meal in itself. It is so thick that can eat it with a fork rather than a spoon. As you can see by the photo above, the Ribollita is so thick that the wooden spoon stands upright all by itself. Although it is consider autumn/winter dish, it is served all year round at Il Focolare as it is one of the trattoria's most popular dishes. So good, so satisfying anytime of the year!

We were most fortunate to befriend Susy Bini, one of the chefs at Il Focolare and she came to the villa one day to teach the basics of Tuscan cuisine. We are delighted to share her Ribollita recipe with you.

Ribollita
Although the shopping list for this dish seems long and the cooking time takes hours, it is well worth the effort. It is a great make ahead dish--not to mention, the glorious aroma that pervades your home as simmerings away.

1 cup of dried cannelloni beans (or 2 tins of cooked beans)
6 cups of water
1 sprig of fresh sage
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
2 leeks, cleaned & chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 clove of garlic
2 potatoes, cut into cubes
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 zucchinis, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, peeled & chopped (or 1-28oz. can of tomatoes)
4 cups of water
1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded
1 bunch of kale or spinach, stalks removed & chopped
5-6 slices of day old Italian bread
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 sprig of fresh thyme
salt & pepper

Rinse dried beans and place in a bowl. Cover with water and soak overnight.
Drain the beans and place in a large saucepan with 6 cups of water, garlic and sage.
Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 1 1/2-2 hours. Drain and let cool.
In another large saucepan, add the olive oil, then the onions. Sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the leeks, celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes.
Then add the zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft, stirring frequently so they cook evenly and dont stick to the bottom.
Pour in 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the cabbage, kale, rosemary and thyme. Cover and reduce to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, Add the beans. Tear the bread slices and add to the soup and cook for 10 minutes, stirring to blend the flavours.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. And serve!

I did just that as Karen, Allan and I met with Harry Simmons of Denure Tours
on Saturday to finalize our Queen Bee Tour to Tuscany this June. We enjoyed our bowls of Ribolitta with slices of olive bread as we discussed the day to day itinerary. We are making sure that every day will be filled with adventure as we savour the sights, sounds and tastes of this amazing piece of heaven on earth!

Ciao!

Linda