Italian Bread Soup...Ribollita

By inpatskitchen • May 14, 2011 • 10 Comments

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Author Notes: This is an Italian peasant soup traditionally made with only vegetables and stale bread. I added ground turkey but it certainly isn't necessary....I've heard that if a wooden spoon can stand straight up in the pot, the soup is done. It gets better after a day or two so if you're not serving the masses you'll have plenty of leftovers - inpatskitchen

Makes about 7 quarts and serves a crowd

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground turkey (optional)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots cut in thirds
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 cup parsley
6 to 8 garlic cloves
2 strips bacon, cut in thirds
1 14.5 ounce can tomatoes
1 12 ounce can tomato juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
5 cups chicken broth
5 cups water
1 14 to 15 ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 14 to 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
5 cups chopped cabbage
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 cup small, dry pasta
4 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
additional salt and pepper to taste

In at least an 8 quart soup pot, brown the ground turkey in the olive oil if using. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Place the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley and bacon in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is a little finer than a dice.
Place the mixture in the soup pot and saute until the mixture softens a bit. ( If you aren't using ground turkey, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil here for the saute )
Add the turkey, salt, black pepper, red pepper, fennel seed, oregano and basil to the pot. Stir and add the tomatoes and tomato juice.
Add the broth and water, bring the mixture up to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the cabbage, chick peas and cannellini beans and simmer another 10 minutes.
Add the pasta and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Tear the bread in pieces and add along with the spinach leaves. Simmer until the spinach wilts. Re-season with salt and pepper if needed.