RUSTIC RIBOLLITA

It was a bitterly cold evening one winter night in Florence, Italy. I wanted to turn in for the night, but the alluring romance of Italy was calling me out despite the rain. We were met by a Tuscan dinner in a family-run osteria, and it was the perfect quintessential meal representative of Tuscan cuisine. We had local Chianti with rustic Italian bread, pappardelle with wild boar, and my first introduction to ribollita soup. Wow! Ribollita soup -- I am forever a changed woman...

Ribollita literally means "reboiled". Tuscan cuisine is influenced by its peasant roots and its rural and agricultural background. Ribollita was originally made by the peasants who would reboil leftover soup (like Minestrone or vegetable soup) and throw left over ingredients from the past week into a pot to concoct a soup. There are several different recipes that exist for ribollita soup, but there are a few staples that set the groundwork for the soup: cannelini beans, bread, and lots of vegetables (esp. root veggies and leafy greens). It is true comfort food, and I love the fact that it's packed with nutrients. It's hard to believe that this soup is practically vegetarian considering how hearty is is.

I ordered ribollita soup every day for the rest of my trip in Florence. I wondered how I would find soup this good back at home in the states, but I am thrilled to inform you that I have found a recipe that truly rivals the soup that I fell madly in love with back in beloved Italia. Leave it to the Barefoot Contessa, herself, to take me back to Italy via her ribollita recipe. My husband LOVED this soup, and said it was comparable to the authentic ribollita we tried in Italy. He has deemed this his favorite soup that I've made so far. Thank you, Ina Garten!!!

Here's the soup that I made, and before we head into warmer weather, I encourage you to try this recipe. You'll want to make it over and over again.



INGREDIENTS (recipe adapted from Ina Garten)

-14 oz can cannellini beans
-3 Tbls EVOO
-1/8 lb pancetta (or bacon), diced
-one large yellow onion, chopped
-2 carrots, chopped
-2 stalks celery, chopped
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
-14 oz can chopped tomatoes (in puree)
-2 c savoy cabbage, chopped (optional, but i LOVE this)
-2 c coarsely chopped kale
-1/4 c basil leaves, chopped
-4 cups chicken stock
-2 cups rustic bread cubes, crusts removed (i used ciabbata)
-grated parm cheese (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:
-heat oil in large stockpot/dutch oven, add pancetta and onions, and cook over med head for 7-10 minutes. Add carrots, celery, garlic, 1/2 Tbls kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. cook for 10 minutes until veggies tender

-add tomatoes with their puree, cabbage, kale and basil. cook for approx 10 min until the leafy vegies are cooked down/wilted.

-while veggies cooking, puree half the can of beans in processor with a few spoonfuls of its liquid until beans smooth.

-add pureed beans and the half can of whole beans (with their remaining puree in the can) to the pot.

-add chicken stock. bring to boil and reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

-add bread cubes to soup and simmer 10 minutes.

-check consistency, if you want it thicker, then add more bread after 10 minutes. if the bread expands too much and soup gets excessively thickened, then add a little more chicken stock. the consistency should be hearty and moderately thick, however. season with extra salt/pepper to taste.

-serve in large bowls, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. serve with crusty bread and Chianti.


Buon Appetito!!!

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Inspired in Venezia (Venice)

Magical and dreamy...that is how I would describe Venice.

We started our Italian tour in Venice -- what an awesome way to immerse oneself into a culture so incredibly different from our own existence in America. Venezia offers a unique experience with its architecture (influenced by the Byzantine eastern culture), its bounty of waterways, and its ability to romanticize each experience regardless of whether you're with a mate or not.

But let's talk food!

If you are in Italia, you must have cappuccinos!!! It's not so easy to find coffee this good in the states. I miss it already. The espresso beans are roasted to perfection, and the coffee is so soothing. Italians only drink cappuccinos in the morning, but not as an after-dinner drink as we Americans enjoy doing. Our favorite coffee shop was the Caffe del Doge. It appears that they have opened a store in Palo Alto and Manhattan. You can be sure the next time I'm in SF or NYC, I will go out of my way to find those cafes. It's THAT GOOD!



Everywhere you look, Venice is surrounded by water -- the Grand Canal, the smaller branching canals tucked between rows of homes, and then there's the Adriatic Sea. With all of this sea water surrounding Venice, you're bound to find a surplus of seafood....and indeed we did! Venice is known for its dishes consisting of seafood.

Here's our first official pasta dish in Italy. Spaghetti with clams at Trattoria Madonna. At first glance, you wouldn't think it looked so different from what we have in the U.S. But there are certain qualities of pasta which really sets it apart from anything I've ever had. The most important quality is the al-dente texture. It makes all the difference, and I will never go back to overcooked pasta ever again. The sauces are not as sweet or heavy as what we're used to back home either. One other interesting and surprising thing about pasta in Italia is that they rarely use garlic. Now that is something that I can't live without, and I will continue doubling garlic for all of my recipes!




Every morning, I would wake to the sounds of fishermen and farmers singing as they would set up their stalls in the fish market. Luckily for us, the outdoor market was just outside of our little hotel. I would visit the fish markets and stand in awe of the bounty of seafood before me. My husband had to drag me away from the stalls because I would linger and drool too long. Oh, how I wished for a stove and an oven. Branzino was everywhere I turned, and I had no way of cooking it!



But I didn't have to fret too long. We managed to wander through the narrow streets and alley-ways to find the bustling and popular Trattoria Pizzaria Nono Risorto one cold romantic evening. I was thrilled to find whole grilled branzino fresh from the fish market on the menu! FYI, branzino is also known as Italian seabass. It's a firm-fleshed fish, mild in flavor, and the bones lift right out.




Here's another shot of the outdoor market (Mercado Rialto) that I liked to visit in the mornings. Italians typically have a simple breakfast of a pastry and cappuccino. I loved my flaky croissant with Nutella every morning, but I have to admit that I craved for fruit and fiber in the morning after a while. This market definitely served that purpose for me.



Venice has a nice slow pace to it. We loved to stroll in the streets, get lost in all of the narrow side-alleyways, marvel at the architecture and history, sit in the sandwich cafes to mingle with the locals and get acquainted with the friendly owners while eating cicchetti's and prossecco.

BTW, cicchetti are small snacks served in sandwich-type bars (ex: small sandwiches, risotto balls, open faced grilled sandwiches called "toast", mixed olives, etc).

But I must say that after a day of strolling, eating, mingling, sight-seeing, museum-hopping---all of that "hard work" deserves another cappuccino. We particularly enjoyed the unique experience at the historic and famous Florian Cafe overlooking the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's square). A fabulous way to end a lovely day in Venezia.





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